National Rangeland Management Policy and Strategy

Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry
National Rangeland Management
Policy & Strategy
(Part I) (Part II)
Restoring Namibia’s Rangelands
June 2012
National Rangeland Management Policy (NRMP) | 1



The National
Rangeland Management Policy
Part I

Table of contents
Acknowledgements ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................3
Preface ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................4
Executive Summary ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................5
Chapter 1 Rationale for developing a National Rangeland Management Policy ................................................................7
1.1 On national level ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................7
1.2 On international level ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................8
1.3 Current condition of Namibia’s rangelands ................................................................................................................................................................................8
1.4 Major causes of poor rangeland conditions and productivity .......................................................................................................................................9
1.5 Major effects of poor rangeland conditions and productivity .....................................................................................................................................10
1.6 Rationale for a National Rangeland Management Policy and Strategy .................................................................................................................10
Chapter 2 Analysis of the current policy framework ...............................................................................................................11
Chapter 3 What should a National Rangeland Management Policy achieve? ....................................................................13
3.1 Optimising sustainable production per ha ..............................................................................................................................................................................13
3.1.1 Improving the nutrient cycle ................................................................................................................................................................................................13
3.1.2 Improving the water cycle ......................................................................................................................................................................................................13
3.2 Reduced vulnerability of users to a variable resource base ...........................................................................................................................................14
3.2.1 Timely and flexible adjustment of animal numbers to available fodder sources .................................................................................14
3.2.2 Timely provision for disaster drought situations .......................................................................................................................................................14
3.3 Improvement and maintenance of biodiversity ...................................................................................................................................................................15
3.4 Basic components of the National Rangeland Management Policy .......................................................................................................................15
Chapter 4 Annexures .....................................................................................................................................................................16
4.1 Annexure A: The National Policy Environment ......................................................................................................................................................................16
4.1.1 The Constitution of the Republic of Namibia .............................................................................................................................................................16
4.1.2 The National Agricultural Policy (NAP) ............................................................................................................................................................................16
4.1.3 The National Drought Policy and Strategy ...................................................................................................................................................................16
4.1.4 The Soil Conservation Act, 1969 ..........................................................................................................................................................................................17
4.1.5 The Subdivision of Agricultural Land Act, 1970 .........................................................................................................................................................17
4.1.6 The Forest Act, 2001 ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................17
4.1.7 The Forestry Strategic Plan, 1996 ........................................................................................................................................................................................18
4.1.8 The Forest Development Policy of Namibia, 1992 (FDPN) .................................................................................................................................18
4.1.9 Guidelines on National Forest Fire Management .....................................................................................................................................................18
4.1.10 The National Land Policy .......................................................................................................................................................................................................18
4.1.11 The National Resettlement Policy ...................................................................................................................................................................................18
4.1.12 The Agricultural (Commercial) Land Reform Act, 1995 .......................................................................................................................................19
4.1.13 The Communal Land Reform Bill, 2002 ........................................................................................................................................................................19