!Han/Awab Conservancy water security beefed up with rehabilitated boreholes
The Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism Pohamba Shifeta recently officiated at the handover ceremony for the Water Sustainable Livelihoods, Water Utilization, and Management project handover at the !Han/Awab Conservancy, //Kharas Region funded under the CBNRM EDA Project that is implemented through the Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia.
At the event Shifeta, the project aims at enhancing environmentally sound water utilization and management by implementing solar-powered water pumping systems as a clean technology option in delivering water security and replacing fossil fuels (diesel) as an energy source thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions from diesel-powered systems.
He further emphasized that the handover of these projects indicates the commitment Namibia has in her pursuit to ensuring sustainable natural resource management as well as an integral part of national efforts to fight against climate change impact, ensuring water provision to most drought-stricken areas of our society.
Situated in the Berseba Constituency, the !Han /Awab Conservancy was funded to the tune of N$ 1,199,000 under the Ecosystem-Based Adaptation investment window under the Empower to Adapt project, which is centered around Creating Climate Change Resilient Livelihoods through Community Based Natural Resource Management in Namibia.
The !Han /Awab Conservancy, covers an area of over 192 747 hectares, a self–governing entity managed by members with fixed boundaries adjacent to communal and private land users. Situated in the //Kharas Region, within the Berseba Constituency of the //Kharas Regional Council and 145 kilometers southwest of Keetmanshoop and is located in Bethanie.
To date the projects have seen five water points at Nau-nab, Driehuk, Kameelhoek, Ludolfpos, and Misgundt have been rehabilitated and fitted with solar energy water pumping systems (solar pumps, solar panels, and water tanks, community tap and drinking troughs for livestock.
The Han/Awab Conservancy project directly benefited a total number of 1250 community members residing in the conservancy area with portable water as well as 30 backyard gardens established contributing to household food security.
