From Projects to Enterprises
Imparting knowledge and business skills is considered the key to developing local economies, particularly smaller urban centres and villages around Namibia. Those in the informal sector who are engaged in income generating activity, must be assisted to migrate into formal business and this is the aim of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism’s (MET’s) Country Pilot Partnership Programme for Integrated Sustainable Land Management (CPP-ISLM).
CPP-ISLM is spearheaded by MET in partnership with various other government ministries, international and multilateral organizations, and civil society organizations.
Drawn from community based projects in the Caprivi, Kavango, Oshana, Omaheke, Otjozondjupa, Karas, Erongo regions and others, the trainees who are being helped to migrate their projects into sustainable business enterprises, all form part of projects supported by the CPP-ISLM.
The group of 26, all members of income generating projects, from several projects across the country received certificates after successfully completing the six day long Developing Business Skills course in Windhoek from 10 to 15 October. Known by the acronym DBS, the Developing Business Skills course was designed and presented by SMEs Compete to help MET’s CPP-ISLM achieve its goal of assisting those in the informal sector graduate or migrate into formal business. SMEs Compete is a firm that supports enterprise and entrepreneurial development around Namibia.
The focus of CPP-ISLM is to address land degradation by capacitating communities in land management. The approach adopted is to help communities find ways to generate or increase income while protecting land and natural resources in their respective settlements, villages and towns.
Speaking before the certificate handing over ceremony Mr. Teofilus Nghitila, Director of Environmental Affairs within the MET who officiated the ceremony, urged trainees that “Countries the world over have strong economies due to their well run SME sector, strong focus on value addition to natural resources, and good application of business principles. There is no reason why you can also not contribute to the economic emancipation of Namibia by creating jobs,” before presenting the certificates.
Ms. Martha Mwandingi, Head of the Environmental Unit at United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), encouraged the participants to go back and apply the knowledge acquired over the six days, and to seriously work at developing sound and solid business practices. “You now have the skills to run small businesses and it is up to you to make profitable businesses out of your projects,” she said.
“DBS opened our minds to think broader in terms of running a business. I also learned the basics of writing a business plan and sticking to it. This training was insightful for me,” Andreas Twendeni a participant said after the training.
The projects members trained, now budding entrepreneurs, are engaged in the production of cooking oil, jams and juice from wild fruit, peanut butter and animal fodder. Some harvest and pack honey and others are engaged in livestock farming and organic gardening. One operates a paper recycling business.
About the CPP-ISLM Programme
The CPP-ISLM is a partnership between Government, international development agencies and civil society to reduce land degradation, thus delivering economic benefits to Namibian communities. The programme’s main objectives are to enable Namibia to reach its Millennium Development Goal #7: “environmental sustainability”, and assure the integrity of dry land ecosystems and ecosystem services, in line with the requirements of NDP3.
The activities of the CPP-ISLM include improving communities’ abilities to manage grazing land and livestock farming, helping farmers adapt to climate change and variability, building alternative livelihoods through supporting environmental related small businesses in rural areas, training people in the management of forests, water, wildlife and other natural resources, and supporting government policies and planning processes which reduce land degradation.
The programme is supported by the Global Environment Facility, to the tune of US$10 million over the first five-year phase of its operations. It is implemented in partnership between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Namibian Government and Namibian civil society.
Issued by:
The Namibia Country Pilot Partnership Programme (CPP-ISLM) Coordination Unit
Directorate of Environmental Affairs
Ministry of Environment and Tourism
For enquiries on the Innovative Small Grants Mechanism for ISLM please contact:
Tokkie Nchindo, Grants Administrator
CPP-ISLM Programme Coordination Unit
Tel: (061) 284 2807
Email: tchindo@cppnam.net
Or:
Elzita Siebrits, Communication and Outreach Officer
CPP-ISLM Programme Coordination Unit
Tel: (061) 284 2730
Email: esiebrits@cppnam.net
Website: http://www.met.gov.na/dea/cpp/