03 Feb 2020

Wetlands are vulnerable to extinction, therefore they require commitment to conservation, the Minister of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism, Ms Philda Kereng has said.

Ms Kereng was speaking at the commemoration of World Wetlands Day in Maun over .

She said statistics showed that about 64 per cent of wetlands had disappeared globally while the world lost about one per cent of wetlands annually.

Ms Kereng therefore called on stakeholders to ensure protection of wetlands such as the Okavango Delta.

She said communities in wetlands ought to benefit from conservation of the natural resources. She, therefore, said events as the wetlands commemoration must be held at villages in the centre of the wetlands to signify commitment to developing livelihoods.

Furthermore, Ms Kereng said her ministry was implementing the National Conservation Strategy Action Plan which was formulated in 1990.

The strategy, she said, was focused on improving conservation and sustainable management of natural resources.

She said the action plan detailed natural resources that could be used to benefit communities economically while preserving their natural form.

Ms Kereng said to protect the Okavango Delta, the Ministry was also developing a satellite based Wetlands Inventory that would help in providing updates and information on the delta as Ramsar site.

Batawana regent represenative, Kgosi Oleyo Ledimo said communities in the wetlands must benefit from their natural resources.

Nonetheless, he said communities should also take lead in conservation efforts to complement government. ENDS