09 May 2019

Lake Ngami Conservation Trust has secured two investors for tourism activities and charcoal production project.

The trust, which opened doors in 2014, had been focusing mainly on fishing, but attracting investors was a challenge.

Following a fact finding mission in Namibia, the trust started a charcoal project to broaden its resource base. 

It also identified eco-tourism as another long term revenue earner.

The out-going trust manager, Mr Galefele Maokeng, confirmed in an interview that through their concerted efforts, they managed to bring on board potential partners.

One would be into tourism project while the other would pursue a charcoal production project.

“This is a huge success for the trust since we have been struggling to secure investors and finally we managed through our own efforts and we believe they will bring more expertise to sustain the two projects and eventually benefit the community as expected,” he added.

Lake Ngami forms part of the Okavango Delta and it has become a top birding spot. 

Although the lake was a seasonal shallow lake that depended mostly on spills from Boro River and rarely from Thamalakane River, its water was critical to the population supporting the fishing, farming, livestock and tourism industries.

Mr Maokeng explained that tourism at the lake was not easy, therefore it needed competent investors.

Mr Maokeng who resigned from the trust end of March, said they had signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the said investors and wished the incoming manager could do a follow up to achieve their goal.

He stated that since the establishment of the trust, they had major achievements such as getting rid of illegal fishing around the lake, addressed issues of pollution, ensured environmental compliance at the lake and establishment of fish market.

Mr Maokeng explained that there was no proper regulated market, but “I am pleased to note that I leave the trust as a happy man because we managed to develop a regulated market which benefits fishers and also managed to bring systematic and transparent licences system. Now fishers know how and where to acquire licences,” he added.

The trust introduced a raffle system where fishermen acquired licenses, while a certain number of licences were reserved for the six villages that had been designated as member communities in the trust.

The system was agreed upon by Ngami Fishers Association since it believed that the system would promote fairness and transparency.

The lake was a source of income for the locals as many earn a living out of fishing and Mr Maokeng stated that fishing activity had been suspended at the lake because the lake had dried up and the trust looked for alternative economic benefits hence the charcoal project.

The project, he said, was up and running and the trust was enjoying a lucrative market internationally and locally. ENDS