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The Caprivi is an interesting case study where the present
land tenure categories do not lend themselves readily to optimum
land use planning. Mendelsohn and Roberts (1997) show the
different quality of habitats available to both people and
wildlife and highlight the potential conflict areas in the
Caprivi. There is also a sharp dichotomy between land under
State protection juxtaposed with subsistence agriculture and
traditional cattle husbandry - even with the promising developments
in conservancies.
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Figure 14: Present and potential buffalo range in
the Caprivi
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The mosaic of small parks and small conservancies would benefit
from being amalgamated into larger, more viable blocks of
land under wildlife management (Figure
14). Opportunities arise in respect of Khaudum and Nyae
Nyae Conservancy to benefit from joint management on a large
scale.
Corbett and Jones (2002, p19) raise the issue of possible
land claims from local communities in respect of national
parks created on land which was formerly communal land. They
speculate on possible modes of restitution and include the
option of partnerships in management and revenue-sharing arrangements.
Such partnerships would mean the development of new co-management
institutions (Ruitenbeek and Carter 2001).
A strong case based on the grounds of conservation and socio-economics
could be made for re-examining the potential rôle these protected
areas could play in the development of the Caprivi - provided
they were not treated as an exclusionary domain in the national
realm.
Martin (2002b) notes the continuous demand on governments
for budget allocations to alleviate poverty and meet human
needs in remote areas and remarks that it would be economically
more efficient to avoid long circuitous flows of revenue from
national parks in remote areas to central government which
are then returned later in the form of grants or subsidies.
The stronger local economies become the less of a financial
burden these areas are to the State.
Amongst the devolutionary options open to governments are
those of treating national parks as regional, district or
local assets - and, far from prejudicing the parks' primary
ecological functions, it might even enhance them.
The time has come to find new models for protected areas
which are more resilient than those of the past. This is a
challenge where Namibia could lead the way for other countries
in the southern African region.
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