Namibia: New Policy on Forestry Management Mooted

MATHIAS HAUFIKU,

The agriculture ministry has called for the urgent re-opening or establishment of new wood processing factories in the regions with rich forestry resources, to counter the illegal harvesting and cross-border shipping of wood products from the country.

"We cannot take a backseat and allow our natural resources to leave the country unprocessed," said a visibly agitated agriculture minister, John Mutorwa, this week.

The agriculture ministry ordered a temporary suspension of the issuance of logging permits early this month.

A fresh policy on the sustainable management and economic use of forestry products is now being mooted and Mutorwa is looking at the Directorate of Forestry, together with the National Forestry Council, "to come up with a draft policy document on how to sustainably manage and utilise forest products economically".

According to the minister, the country needs a new policy on the management of forestry products for the benefit of the entire country.

"It is unacceptable to have big trucks transporting unprocessed natural resources out of our country at the expense of our fellow Namibians," said Mutorwa. "During my childhood days we had wood-processing factories here at Omauni, Rundu and even in Katima Mulilo, which provided schools with desks and chairs.

But after independence all the factories started closing. We need to re-introduce or re-open these factories," he said during the signing of management agreements with 19 communities for the newly-gazetted community forests.

Each community is now in possession of an agreement that bestows it with the right to administer the protection and sustainable use of wood and other non-wood resources in the forests.

The suspension of forestry permits for sawn timber was triggered by an increase in the number of uncontrolled logging activities in the country.

New Era reported recently on the huge volumes of sawn timber being transported from the north-eastern regions for profit often without the necessary documentation.

"The establishment of processing factories will boost the development of the country because local products such as fish, diamonds and even wood will leave the country as finished products," said Mutorwa.

"We should not become complacent, even if we get assistance from elsewhere we should not take a backseat. We must also focus on availing more funds for projects like these," he proposed.

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