Buffalo fence worsens hunger for Tsumkwe residents
Residents of the Tsumkwe conservancy, who are mainly from the marginalised San community, claim that a buffalo fence erected for trophy hunting in an area where the devil's claw plant grows has only further impoverished them. This is compounded by allegations that the annual N$8 million trophy-hunting revenue generated in the area barely reaches them.
San people in the area depend heavily on the income generated from devil's claw, which is exported as a medicinal product.
Namibian Sun interviewed several families in and around Tsumkwe who said they only receive allowances in December from the conservancy for every person over 18, after which they are left to fend for themselves while food is "kept behind a fence".
According to Kxao Kxoan, a resident of Routpos in the Nyae Nyae conservancy, they are mistreated by their own representatives as well as outsiders. The community accused Chief Tsamkxao ≠Oma of colluding with government officials and international conservationists to benefit himself and his family only.
"We are told not to go to other areas where the Aawambo and Ovaherero people have fenced off land to look for devil's claw. We are suffering. This year, we just sat around. We get our [livelihood] from devil's claw and we used to go out and harvest it near our houses. Now we cannot do that any more. Even the bush food is inaccessible to us," he said.
Not heard
The group further accused the chief of colluding with Aawambo and Ovaherero farmers who have reportedly illegally fenced off land in the conservancy area and abuse the San people. "When we go to the other side, they [complain], and when we go across the road where the fence is, we are not allowed entrance. There, where the fence is, is a water pan where the devil's claw grows abundantly. They have closed us off - we don't get food and now we have to sit around idly," he said.
Kxoan added that while they thought they could voice their concerns at the conservancy's annual general meeting, because they are vulnerable and poor, they are not heard.
≠Oma denied the allegations, saying the fence was erected with the full consent of all community members. He, however, admitted that the Ovaherero and Aawambo have ‘invaded’ the conservancy area.
According to him, these ‘invaders’ have confiscated cattle from the San people and prevented them from using water points. "The San have places where they usually harvest devil's claw. [But] maybe the real problem is not the devil's claw. When government brought the disease-free buffaloes, they decided to put the camps up there. It is not true that someone stopped them from going there, but they are not allowed to go there," he said.
The chief also noted that the Aawambo and Ovaherero communities do not take them seriously when they are told to leave the area. "They even bring their own cattle here, and we cannot say anything.”
Amicable solution
According to environment ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda, there are many elephants from the Khaudum National Park roaming the area, as well as other game species, adding that the fence is there to protect this area from foot-and-mouth disease.
"They do harvest devil's claw. If there are challenges, they should be in a position to tell us so we can amicably resolve this situation. I’m not sure that challenge was brought to us. The buffalo camp has been there for years. The Tsumkwe people have devil's claw everywhere apart from this camp.
"Through the conservancy, they have trophy hunting that gives them at least N$8 million a year. That is a core area, and it must be preserved for their own benefit," he said.
Exploited by global north
A 2024 report by the University of Namibia titled ‘Rich resources from poor communities: An analysis of Namibia’s access and benefit-sharing legislation’ has pointed out that while the current global trade value for devil’s claw is not publicly available, projecting from the 2004 value, the exported quantity would have an average annual value exceeding US$143 million (N$2.6 billion).
It added that despite the efforts of the Sustainably Harvested Devil’s Claw project, San communities involved in the harvesting of this plant do not directly trade with industries in the global north.
"Instead, they work with intermediate companies, such as exporters, earning income that is inadequate to significantly improve their livelihoods. Only a few community members are employed in the industry, mainly as co-administrators of sustainable harvesting, typically earning less than N$ 3500 per month,” it read.
The report added that community members who harvest and add value by cleaning, cutting, drying and packing the materials for exporters “earn an annual average of just N$1 538 per harvester".
"Notably, the exporters only consisted of five white Namibians and one white South African, which seems to demonstrate a legacy of post-colonialism," it read.
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San people in the area depend heavily on the income generated from devil's claw, which is exported as a medicinal product.
Namibian Sun interviewed several families in and around Tsumkwe who said they only receive allowances in December from the conservancy for every person over 18, after which they are left to fend for themselves while food is "kept behind a fence".
According to Kxao Kxoan, a resident of Routpos in the Nyae Nyae conservancy, they are mistreated by their own representatives as well as outsiders. The community accused Chief Tsamkxao ≠Oma of colluding with government officials and international conservationists to benefit himself and his family only.
"We are told not to go to other areas where the Aawambo and Ovaherero people have fenced off land to look for devil's claw. We are suffering. This year, we just sat around. We get our [livelihood] from devil's claw and we used to go out and harvest it near our houses. Now we cannot do that any more. Even the bush food is inaccessible to us," he said.
Not heard
The group further accused the chief of colluding with Aawambo and Ovaherero farmers who have reportedly illegally fenced off land in the conservancy area and abuse the San people. "When we go to the other side, they [complain], and when we go across the road where the fence is, we are not allowed entrance. There, where the fence is, is a water pan where the devil's claw grows abundantly. They have closed us off - we don't get food and now we have to sit around idly," he said.
Kxoan added that while they thought they could voice their concerns at the conservancy's annual general meeting, because they are vulnerable and poor, they are not heard.
≠Oma denied the allegations, saying the fence was erected with the full consent of all community members. He, however, admitted that the Ovaherero and Aawambo have ‘invaded’ the conservancy area.
According to him, these ‘invaders’ have confiscated cattle from the San people and prevented them from using water points. "The San have places where they usually harvest devil's claw. [But] maybe the real problem is not the devil's claw. When government brought the disease-free buffaloes, they decided to put the camps up there. It is not true that someone stopped them from going there, but they are not allowed to go there," he said.
The chief also noted that the Aawambo and Ovaherero communities do not take them seriously when they are told to leave the area. "They even bring their own cattle here, and we cannot say anything.”
Amicable solution
According to environment ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda, there are many elephants from the Khaudum National Park roaming the area, as well as other game species, adding that the fence is there to protect this area from foot-and-mouth disease.
"They do harvest devil's claw. If there are challenges, they should be in a position to tell us so we can amicably resolve this situation. I’m not sure that challenge was brought to us. The buffalo camp has been there for years. The Tsumkwe people have devil's claw everywhere apart from this camp.
"Through the conservancy, they have trophy hunting that gives them at least N$8 million a year. That is a core area, and it must be preserved for their own benefit," he said.
Exploited by global north
A 2024 report by the University of Namibia titled ‘Rich resources from poor communities: An analysis of Namibia’s access and benefit-sharing legislation’ has pointed out that while the current global trade value for devil’s claw is not publicly available, projecting from the 2004 value, the exported quantity would have an average annual value exceeding US$143 million (N$2.6 billion).
It added that despite the efforts of the Sustainably Harvested Devil’s Claw project, San communities involved in the harvesting of this plant do not directly trade with industries in the global north.
"Instead, they work with intermediate companies, such as exporters, earning income that is inadequate to significantly improve their livelihoods. Only a few community members are employed in the industry, mainly as co-administrators of sustainable harvesting, typically earning less than N$ 3500 per month,” it read.
The report added that community members who harvest and add value by cleaning, cutting, drying and packing the materials for exporters “earn an annual average of just N$1 538 per harvester".
"Notably, the exporters only consisted of five white Namibians and one white South African, which seems to demonstrate a legacy of post-colonialism," it read.
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