Browsing by Author "Lendelvo, Selma M."

Now showing 1 - 8 of 8
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    Determinants of tourists' satisfaction in Etosha National Park, Namibia
    (University of Namibia, 2015) Kimaro, Mary-Ellen; Lendelvo, Selma M.; Nakanyala, Jesaya
    Although tourism is one of the fastest growing industries in the world and contributes to socio-economic development, most tourist destinations are faced with the challenge of ensuring tourist satisfaction. Understanding determinants of tourism satisfaction through tourists’ experiences on destinations could help improve the potential for tourism growth. This study was conducted in the Etosha National Park (ENP). Data collection was during the low and high seasons in February 2010 and September 2011, respectively. A total of 150 tourists were interviewed during both seasons. Results indicated that over 80% of visitors to Etosha National Park were of international origin of which more than half were first time visitors and self-drive tourists. In addition, the majority of tourists toured in groups of either related (51%) or non-related (44%) of 2-4 individuals. Tourists experienced crowding during the high season compared to the low peak season at different sites within the Park. Attractiveness of the Park, its facilities and its cleanliness were the major determinants of tourist satisfaction to the Etosha National Park. Specifically, the cost of accommodation and services, road infrastructure, environmental related issues, park management and control were among the issues tourists shared their experiences on during their visit to the ENP. Therefore, there is need to develop further tourist satisfaction research in ENP and in Namibia in order to provide a useful body of knowledge and guidance to tourism planners, managers, decision makers and marketers on the factors influencing tourist satisfaction in the Namibian context.
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    The economic viability of emerging commercial farmers under the resettlement programme
    (2020) Lendelvo, Selma M.; Shapi, Martin K.; Mapaure, Clever
    Land reform programmes have been embarked upon by some African governments to address land inequalities after gaining independence from their colonial masters. Land redistribution to the land poor and from large-scale farmers to small-scale farmers is thus robust, both theoretically and empirically. The Government of the Republic of Namibia (GRN) committed to addressing the skewed land ownership that prevailed for over a century in the country by introducing land reform programmes after independence. The National Resettlement Policy, the Agricultural (Commercial) Land Reform Act (No. 6 of 1995) and the Communal Land Reform Act (No. 5 of 2002) are the key instruments that guide land reform in the country, particularly concerning the acquisition of farmland for redistribution purposes. Secure land tenure is a necessary but not sufficient condition for the socioeconomic development of any society. Historically, many Namibian people were dispossessed of their land to pave the way for the establishment of largescale commercial farms with freehold title for settlers. This practice resulted in many Namibians being confined to small-scale communal subsistence farming characterised by low returns and insecure land rights. The land redistribution programmes aimed at ensuring fair land distribution among all Namibians and the integration of previously disadvantaged Namibians into the mainstream of the country’s economy. The Affirmative Action Loan Scheme (AALS) provides subsidised loans to previously disadvantaged Namibians enabling them to 36 • “Neither here nor there”: Indigeneity, marginalisation and land rights in post-independence Namibia acquire commercial farms and engage in large-scale farming, while the National Resettlement Programme (NRP) targets small-scale commercial farmers. While recognising that secure land rights are not the panacea for all shortcomings in agricultural productivity, this paper seeks to document factors influencing the economic viability of the resettlement programme in Namibia. This is done by analysing the ability of leasehold agreements granted to resettlement beneficiaries by the Ministry of Land Reform (MLR) to attract investment and subsequently trigger agricultural productivity, as well as by establishing other promoters contributing to this throughput. It is found that there has been improved productivity at the resettlement farms, but that there is still a lot of room for improvement. The current interventions by the stakeholders involved in land reform therefore have to be buttressed by more innovative efforts and also by the cooperation of the farmers
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    Factors influencing the establishment of translocated eland (Taurotragus oryx) and springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis) in the Nyae Nyae conservancy, Namibia
    (University of Namibia, 2018) Lendelvo, Selma M.
    The emergence of the Community-Based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM) approach in Namibia contributed to the establishment of communal conservancies that aim to conserve wildlife outside protected areas, as well as benefit local communities. Recent translocations in Namibia involved the movement of wildlife from protected areas to communal conservancies in order to expand the range of wildlife species in the areas they once occupied, as part of effective community-based conservation efforts. Little research has been done to understand the outcome of the translocation of ungulates for the purpose of restocking wildlife populations in communal conservancies, and to determine the factors affecting the establishment of these ungulates, as well as the contribution of translocation to sustainable wildlife management in Namibia. The aim of this study was to establish the factors that contributed to outcomes of translocated eland (Taurotragus oryx) and springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis) in the Nyae Nyae conservancy. The study utilised a mixed-method design that involved the employment of both qualitative and quantitative data collection methodologies in obtaining primary and secondary data. Field observations were carried out to collect data on the current population structure of the eland and springbok. A total of 56 questionnaires, 19 key-informants and 6 focussed-group discussions (FGDs) with community members and stakeholders, were administered during the period of July 2013 to March 2015. Stakeholders comprised the relevant local, regional and national institutions that worked closely with the Nyae Nyae conservancy in different aspects of wildlife and conservancy management. Secondary data, consisting of long-term wildlife count data, were obtained from the conservancy and the office of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism both in Tsumkwe and Windhoek. Following translocations, a stable trend of the overall wildlife population sizes in the Nyae Nyae conservancy (r=0.477; t10=1.574; p=0.145) was found. The springbok (r= 0.181; t10=0.580; p=0.575) showed a positive population trend while the eland (r= -0.429; t10= -1.502; p=0.164) showed a declining trend, according to the long-term monitoring data collected between 2001 and 2013. The outcome of the field assessments on the habitat utilised by the springbok was consistent with the analysis of the long-term data, indicating that the free-roaming and growing springbok population was found along the Nyae Nyae Pans in the conservancy. However, a free-roaming eland population was not detected but a population confined in the Buffalo Camp was found. The composition of the social groupings of the observed eland and springbok populations comprised solitary, bachelor, mixed, nursery and/or female groups. Perceptions gained from the surveys concluded that the factors such as availability and distribution water resources, range condition, veld fires frequency and level predation had limited negative influence on the translocated populations of the two species, while human-related activities were attributed to the translocation failure of the eland. There was little evidence of hunting of the eland for both subsistence and trophy purposes, although evidence existed that the eland had been allocated a hunting quota. Although springbok was not commonly utilised for trophy hunting, this species had been hunted sustainably for subsistence and the purposes of meat distribution since 2004. The selection of a suitable, natural habitat, coupled with limited human disturbance, contributed to the establishment of the translocated springbok population. However, the eland population not increasing after translocation in 2001 remains complex because the confined eland population that was moved into the Buffalo Camp of the conservancy since 1994 was able to survive in a similar habitat for over two decades. Suitability to natural habitat factors alone is not sufficient to contribute to the establishment of translocated wildlife species. Therefore, the anthropogenic elements of a habitat should form part of the suitability assessments during the translocation process of wildlife into conservancies because of the nature of community-based conservation areas.
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    Gendered climate change-induced human-wildlife conflicts amidst COVID-19 in Erongo region, Namibia
    (Open Book Publishers, 2021) Lendelvo, Selma M.; Nghitevelekwa, Romie; Pinto, Mechtilde
    The risks of climate change for drier countries have become more pronounced. Small increments in temperature changes are considered to pose serious consequences for dry countries such as Namibia and Botswana, both of which have also experienced significant drought in recent years. In this chapter, we discuss climate change-induced human-wildlife conflicts (HWC) as they relate to gender, for communities in Erongo Region, west Namibia. We draw attention to the experiences of women as a vulnerable social group that is bearing climate change-induced HWC, and foreground how they are adapting to these pressures.
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    Indigenous knowledge used in the management of human–wildlife conflict along the borders of the Etosha National Park
    (University of Namibia Press, 2015) Lendelvo, Selma M.; Angula, Margaret; Mfune, John K.
    Humans and wildlife in Africa have coexisted for millennia, but conflicts between them have become common phenomena (Shemwetta & Kideghesho, 2000). Worldwide, borders between humans and wild spaces have become blurred, particularly those surrounding protected areas. As a result, wildlife frequently moves out of protected areas and enters nearby human settlements (Ogra, 2008). In addition, the frequency of human–wildlife conflicts (HWCs) in these areas has grown in recent decades, largely because of the increase in human population, the expansion of human activities and changes in wildlife management systems (Graham, Beckerman, & Thirgood, 2005). In this chapter, we describe how commercial and communal farmers who live along the borders of Etosha National Park (ENP) use their indigenous knowledge in dealing with HWC. We interviewed 48 farmers from cattle posts in the communal areas north of ENP and 51 commercial farmers on private land south of ENP through a semi-structured questionnaire. The majority of farmers indicated that they have techniques and strategies to protect their livestock, crops, families and property from being harmed by problem wildlife. Understanding the indigenous knowledge that farmers have to deal with HWC is important for improving wildlife management systems in Namibia.
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    A perfect storm? The impact of COVID-19 on community-based conservation in Namibia
    (Namibian Journal of Environment, 2020) Lendelvo, Selma M.
    We report on a rapid survey of five communal-area conservancies in Namibia to understand initial impacts on community-based conservation of national and international policies for dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Namibia’s Community-Based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM) programme has been growing for over 30 years, with high economic reliance on tourism and conservation hunting. We review the interrelationships between COVID-19, CBNRM, tourism and hunting, and discuss our findings under eight interlocking themes: 1) disruption to management and regular operational processes of conservancies, including 2) effects on conservancy wildlife patrolling and monitoring; 3) losses of revenue and cash flow in conservancy business operations; 4) impacts on Joint-Venture Partnerships; 5) impacts on employment opportunities and local livelihoods; 6) effects on community development projects and social benefits, including 7) disruption to funded projects and programmes; and 8) lack of technical capacity regarding communication technologies and equipment. In our conclusion we discuss tensions between an assumption that normal business can or will be resumed, and calls for the COVID-19 pandemic to create an opportunity for global choices away from ‘business-as-normal’. It is too early to tell what mix of these perspectives will unfold. What is clear is that communal-area conservancies must derive benefits from conservation activities in their areas that are commensurate with their role as key actors in the conservation of Namibia’s valuable wildlife and landscapes.
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    Processing methods of Oshikundu, a traditional beverage from sub-tribes within Aawambo culture in the Northern Namibia
    (University of Namibia, 2013) Embashu, Werner; Cheikhyoussef, Ahmad; Kahaka, Gladys K.; Lendelvo, Selma M.
    Fermented beverages have a long history in Africa and fermentation is the cheapest, oldest form of food preservation. Indigenous Knowledge (IK) has been at the for-front of the traditional food and beverage processing technology. Oshikundu is a Namibian cereal based fermented beverage brewed with water, brans, pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) flour locally known as mahangu and malted sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) flour. Oshikundu is brewed in many households among Aawambo and part of Kavango region.It is a perishable beverage with a shelf life under six hours. Oshikundu is brewed for many generations among Aawambo, which the brewing process have adopt and evolved over time. The traditional art of brewing Oshikundu has been passed orally from generation to generation. The knowledge of brewing and interest is declining over time especially among young people. Rural women have taken advantage of the locally available raw materials with their IK for their livelihood by selling Oshikundu. The traditional methods have potential to incorporate the modern biotechnology to control, optimise and standardise the organoleptic quality of Oshikundu.
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    Socio-economic and livelihood strategies of the Ehirovipuka Conservancy, Namibia
    (University of Namibia, 2012) Lendelvo, Selma M.; Nakanyala, Jesaya
    The Conservancy, a Community-Based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM) approach, implemented in the rural areas in Namibia was identified as the focus of this study. A Conservancy is an organised group of farmers living within a common boundary area and related cultural background, as well as sharing the same resources for their livelihoods (Sullivan, 2002). Namibian rural areas have undergone changes in terms of social structures and the use of the environment. The livelihood strategies of people have been changing over time due to changes in the resources base and accessibility. This case study focuses on the Ehirovipuka communal Conservancy, which is located in the north-western part of the Namibia and directly bordering Etosha National Park. The north-western part is regarded as the richest region for wildlife species in the country. The objective of this study was to examine changes in livelihoods in order to enhance understanding the perception of the community on the linkages between the natural resources base and the livelihood strategies in the area. This study employed both the household questionnaire survey and focused group discussions. A total of 111 households from 10 villages were randomly interviewed for the survey. In addition, six focus group discussions (FGD) were conducted in the two main settlements of the Conservancy, namely, Otjokavare and Onguta. The findings of the study showed that the Conservancy is characterised by a high dependency ratio 100% or 1:1. This ratio is high because the number of the dependent age (50.3%) is almost equal the number of independent age group (49.7%). In addition to this, the Conservancy is dominated by low level of education and a high unemployment rate. Most members of the independent age group (economically active) (60%) also indicated to be neither working nor looking for employment. Also, the majority of the household members have either not attended any formal education (44%) or have not completed primary education (48%). The households from this conservancy are engaged in various livelihood activities. These livelihood activities have been maintained over the years, although some have changed in order of importance. Livestock farming, mainly for own use purposes, emerged as the most important livelihood activity, followed by formal employment and old age pension grants. Most of the income generating livelihood strategies only became important during the 1980s, which suggests the shifting of the rural community to respond to the national cash economy lifestyle. Three factors that maintained the livelihoods activities in the Ehirovipuka Conservancy emerged as access through strong social relations, diversification of livelihood activities and the emergence of the community level support institutions such as the Conservancy. In conclusion, the Conservancy is perceived as community level support that contributes to the improvement of natural resources which most livelihood activities depend on, hence, leading to the resilience of most livelihood activities. The study recommended the following: (i) Although owning large herds of cattle is a cultural practice, there is a need to find ways to address this practice because it may lead to subsequent land degradation in the area, hence affecting the main livelihood activity of the area; (ii) Development of monitoring mechanisms for vegetation resources and landscapes is required to allow community leaders to make informed decisions; (ii) Community members need to practise mechanisms that are important in reducing human wildlife conflict such as herding, kraaling the livestock at night and others known to them as wildlife in their communities will continue to increase due to good management practices put in place by the conservancy; (iv) Social cohesion among conservancy members should be promoted as this could be crucial to reduce vulnerability among poor households; (v) Employment creation through tourism initiatives in the conservancy could help in tackle the need for employment among those economically active members of the community; and (vi) There is a need for further research to understand the implementation of the conservancy activities and its contribution to sustainable development.