San community utilizes Green Climate Funds to protect water points
The San community in Nyae-Nyae Conservancy is using funds provided by the Green Climate Fund and the Environmental Investment Fund to build a fence to protect their village water points from elephants despite the rare occurrence of Human-wildlife conflict in the area.
The area has around 18 water points for the estimated 1000-1500 elephants, but the drought that has impacted the whole of Namibia has put greater strain on wildlife looking for water.
Therefore, the protection of the water points will mean that the community can hopefully avoid distress in the village and also the inevitable failure of gardens and other projects dependent on water, the conservancy added.
Over the years many approaches to water protection have been tried, but in Nyae-Nyae with the biggest elephants in the country, the only approach that has proven to consistently work is a two meter high protection wall built from local rocks.
The conservancy noted that these barriers have proven to be impenetrable, keeping the village’s water point and supply secure, thereby allowing investment in water dependent activities such as livestock management and agriculture.
The GCF/EIF project is funding the building of protection walls in three villages and the overhaul and servicing of all village boreholes in Nyae-Nyae over a 12 month period. Other than investment, the funds received from GCF/EIF represent development and empowerment for the communities.
Caption: Community members building a fence to protect their water points from elephants.
