Illegal wood valued at N$900k
The agriculture ministry raised close to a million dollars by auctioning confiscated forestry products in the previous financial year.
Illegally harvested wood to the value of N$895 551 was sold at public auctions during the 2018/19 financial year.
This is according to a technical paper submitted along with the agriculture ministry's budget motivation in parliament.
According to the ministry's report a large quantity of illegally harvested forest products was impounded at forestry offices in the Kavango West, Kavango East, Zambezi, Kunene, Otjozondjupa, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshikoto, Ohangwena and Oshana regions.
The items sold on auction were 125.5 tonnes of firewood, 32 tonnes of charcoal, 16 224 poles, 7 338 droppers, 223 blocks, 729 logs, 408 planks and 1 476 woodcarvings.
“The forest resource use has been regulated through issuing various forest permits to the public,” the ministry said in the report.
A total of 25 360 permits were issued for harvesting, transporting, marketing, exporting, importing and transit of wood during the previous financial year.
“Strategic planning for organisational management and operations is being implemented at both headquarters and regional level, and guidelines and other technical support are given to the field-based officials,” the ministry said.
According to the report an online forestry permit system is being developed and staff members have attended law-enforcement training conducted by the agriculture ministry, environment ministry, safety and security ministry and justice ministry.
Furthermore, the report says that 11 community forests covering a total area of 5.6 million hectares were gazetted during the 2018/19 financial year.
These are the Otjituuo, N#ajagna, OshikushiIthilonde, Omundaungilo, Eiseb, Otjombinde, Omuramba Uambinda, Ehirovipuka, Ondjou, Epukiro and African Wild Dog community forests.
According to the ministry, 6 592 seedlings were donated and 38 874 sold to the public last year.
It further said that 825 kg of lemons were harvested, of which 554 kg was sold to the public. The remainder was used for seed production.
Two beehive sites were established and 100 kg of honey was harvested, while a total of 5 766 seedlings were planted on 28 hectares (public institutions and individual farms).
The ministry further conducted fire-awareness campaigns to educate communities on fire prevention, protection and control, and also to sensitise communities on the management of forest and veld fires and encourage them to participate in the clearing of fire breaks.
ELLANIE SMIT
This is according to a technical paper submitted along with the agriculture ministry's budget motivation in parliament.
According to the ministry's report a large quantity of illegally harvested forest products was impounded at forestry offices in the Kavango West, Kavango East, Zambezi, Kunene, Otjozondjupa, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshikoto, Ohangwena and Oshana regions.
The items sold on auction were 125.5 tonnes of firewood, 32 tonnes of charcoal, 16 224 poles, 7 338 droppers, 223 blocks, 729 logs, 408 planks and 1 476 woodcarvings.
“The forest resource use has been regulated through issuing various forest permits to the public,” the ministry said in the report.
A total of 25 360 permits were issued for harvesting, transporting, marketing, exporting, importing and transit of wood during the previous financial year.
“Strategic planning for organisational management and operations is being implemented at both headquarters and regional level, and guidelines and other technical support are given to the field-based officials,” the ministry said.
According to the report an online forestry permit system is being developed and staff members have attended law-enforcement training conducted by the agriculture ministry, environment ministry, safety and security ministry and justice ministry.
Furthermore, the report says that 11 community forests covering a total area of 5.6 million hectares were gazetted during the 2018/19 financial year.
These are the Otjituuo, N#ajagna, OshikushiIthilonde, Omundaungilo, Eiseb, Otjombinde, Omuramba Uambinda, Ehirovipuka, Ondjou, Epukiro and African Wild Dog community forests.
According to the ministry, 6 592 seedlings were donated and 38 874 sold to the public last year.
It further said that 825 kg of lemons were harvested, of which 554 kg was sold to the public. The remainder was used for seed production.
Two beehive sites were established and 100 kg of honey was harvested, while a total of 5 766 seedlings were planted on 28 hectares (public institutions and individual farms).
The ministry further conducted fire-awareness campaigns to educate communities on fire prevention, protection and control, and also to sensitise communities on the management of forest and veld fires and encourage them to participate in the clearing of fire breaks.
ELLANIE SMIT
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