🇬🇧 Chapter 4 – Wildlife Conservation and Sustainable use
Chapter 3 explained how the development of deep boreholes largely solved the challenge of water supply, making it possible to utilise large parts of Namibia for agriculture.
However, the income problem remained. During drought years, grazing was often insufficient, and many farms remained heavily dependent on rainfall. Recurrent droughts and the Foot-and-Mouth Disease outbreak of 1961 highlighted the need for additional and more resilient sources of income.
It was under these circumstances that Namibia’s first hunting and guest farm was established at Düsternbrook. The idea originated from Marga Vaatz, who sought to create an income source that was less dependent on rainfall while at the same time giving indigenous wildlife a direct economic value.
Today, this concept may seem self-evident. At the time, however, it was revolutionary.
Legally, wildlife was still largely regarded as a state-owned resource, and many farmers viewed wild animals as competitors to cattle farming. A common perception was:
“For every oryx removed from a farm, one more cow can be kept.”
As a result, farms were sometimes even advertised for sale as being “free of game.”
The concept of hunting and guest farming fundamentally changed this perception. Through sustainable trophy hunting, wildlife acquired a direct economic value for landowners. Hunters often stayed on farms for a week or longer, generating income through accommodation, hunting fees and trophy charges.
At the same time, the venison remained on the farm, providing food for staff and guests or being processed into biltong and other products. In later years, an additional market for game meat also developed.
This created a second economic pillar alongside cattle farming and made many farming operations significantly more resilient during periods of drought.
The Legal Framework
The positive experiences gained from these early initiatives gradually attracted political support.
After considerable pioneering effort and despite substantial resistance in the beginning, legislation introduced in the late 1960s enabled farmers to derive economic benefits from huntable wildlife species. This laid the foundation for the rapid growth of hunting and guest farms throughout Namibia.
The principle behind this approach was simple:
- Revenue generated from wildlife should remain within the local area.
- People are most likely to protect resources that provide a clear and tangible benefit.
Or, as the well-known conservation principle states:
“If you do not use it, you lose it.”
Impact on Namibia
These developments gradually gave rise to an entirely new sector of the economy.
Guest farms, hunting farms, safari lodges and, later, communal and private conservancies were established across the country. Namibia became one of the first African nations to move beyond viewing wildlife solely as a state-owned resource and instead use sustainable wildlife utilisation as a tool for both conservation and rural development.
The results remain visible today. Wildlife populations have recovered in many areas, tourism has become a major contributor to the national economy, and Namibia enjoys an internationally respected reputation for wildlife management and conservation.