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Namibian National Biodiversity
Programme
Workgroups
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Details within the
programme:
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Working
groups
are
flexible,
informal,
and
interdisciplinary,
and
convened
when
necessary
to
develop
solutions
to
a
specific
task.
Much
of
their
work
is
conducted
by
e-mail,
phone
and
fax
to
limit
the
burden
of
regular
and
time-consuming
committee
meetings,
but
round-table
gatherings
are
called
when
face-to-face
discussion
would
be
productive.
Thematic
input
to
the
National
Biodiversity
Strategy
and
Action
Plan
(NBSAP)
is
largely
being
coordinated
by
these
groups.
Wetlands
Working
Group
This
group
was
formed
in
1997.
It
prioritises
taxa
and
wetlands
for
research
attention,
develops
educational
materials
for
schools
and
the
general
public,
samples
threatened
habitats,
is
planning
an
ecological
monitoring
programme
for
rivers,
and
coordinates
national
freshwater
research
activities
of
five
major
institutional
players:
-
Ministry
of
Agriculture,
Water
&
Rural
Development
(Department
of
Water
Affairs,
DWA,
and
National
Botanical
Research
Institute,
NBRI)
-
Ministry
of
Environment
&
Tourism
(MET)
-
Ministry
of
Basic
Education
and
Culture
(National
Museum
of
Namibia,
NMN)
-
Ministry
of
Fisheries
&
Marine
Resources
(Hardap
Freshwater
Fish
Institute,
HFFI)
-
University
of
Namibia,
UNAM
Members:
Chair:
Shirley
Bethune
(DEA)
Elna
Almirall
(Namibian
Water
Corporation),
Laura
Ashipala
(DWA),
Chris
Brown
(Namibia
Nature
Foundation),
Nicholas
Clarke
(DWA/
NBRI),
Barbara
Curtis
(NBRI),
Stefan
de
Wet
(DWA),
Eryn
Griffin
(NMN),
Mike
Griffin
(MET),
Clinton
Hay
(HFFI),
Dave
Joubert
(Polytechnic
of
Namibia),
Esmerialda
Klaassen
(NBRI),
Holger
Kolberg
(MET),
Orton
Msiska
(UNAM),
Kevin
Roberts
(DWA),
Rob
Simmons
(MET)
Wetlands
News
&
Updates:
Top
Agricultural
Biodiversity
Focal
Group
This
group,
formed
in
1998,
is
led
by
the
Ministry
of
Agriculture,
Water
&
Rural
Development
(MAWRD)
and
involves
NGOs
and
projects
with
similar
objectives.
Its
aims
include
the
-
integration
of
biodiversity
conservation
needs
into
policy
and
planning
of
the
Ministry
of
Agriculture
and
other
agricultural
institutions
in
Namibia;
-
identification
of
gaps
which
may
exist
in
the
conservation
of
agricultural
diversity
at
genetic,
species
and
landscape
levels;
-
promotion
of
environmentally
appropriate
and
diverse
farming
practices
as
a
way
of
linking
traditional
land
management
practices
to
sustainable
development.
Members:
Chair:
Jacque
Els
(MAWRD)
Blanca
Braun
(MAWRD),
Nico
de
Klerk
(MET),
Jurgen
Hoffmann
(Namibian
Agronomic
Board),
Dave Joubert
(Polytechnic
of
Namibia),
Martha
Kandawa-Schulz
(UNAM),
Barney
Karuuombe
(NANGOF),
Herta
Kolberg
(National
Plant
Genetic
Resources
Centre),
Bertus
Kruger
(DRFN),
Gillian
Maggs-Kolling
(NBRI),
Eugene
Marais
(NMN),
Osmund
Mwandemele
(UNAM),
Mark
Robertson
(DRFN),
Roelie
Venter
(Namibia
Agricultural
Union),
Juliane
Zeidler
(DRFN)
Top
Forest
Biodiversity
Focal
Group
This
important
group
was
convened
in
1998
after
discussions
with
the
MET's
Directorate
of
Forestry,
DoF,
from
1996-1998.
Its
main
aims
are
to
feed
input
(on
non-timber
resources,
ecological
processes
and
landscape
ecological
issues,
and
biodiversity-related
evaluation
of
management
strategies)
into
activities
of
the
DoF
and
related
projects.
It
also
gives
input
to
a
DoF
project
on
the
identification
of
threatened
areas
and
"strategic
forests"
for
protection
and
community
management.
Members:
Chair:
Esther
Lusepani
(DoF
-
Environmental
Forestry
Project)
Phoebe
Barnard
(DEA),
Moses
Chakanga
(DoF),
Dave
Cole
(CRIAA),
Adolf
de
Klerk
(AgriFutura),
Patrick
Graz
(Polytechnic),
Ben
Hochobeb
(UNAM),
Kahepako
Uariua-Kakujaha
(NANGOF),
Gillian
Maggs-Koelling
(NBRI),
J.P.
Msangi
(UNAM),
Osmund
Mwandemele
(UNAM),
Mark
Robertson
(DRFN),
Pauline
Sekgonyana
(Namibia
Eagle
Traditional
Healers'
Association),
Sem
Shikongo
(DEA),
Jussi
Viitanen
(DoF
-
Environmental
Forestry
Project),
Victor
von
Alten
(rangeland
ecologist),
Lorraine
Witschas
(herbalist)
Top
Traditional
Knowledge
Focal
Group
The
Traditional
Knowledge
Focal
Group
was
initiated
in
1998.
It
addresses
-
sustainable
use
of
traditional
medicines
and
other
biological
resources;
-
documentation
and
protection
of
traditional
knowledge
of
land-
management
practices
and
use
of
agricultural
genetic
diversity;
and
-
protection
of
intellectual
property
rights
through
informed
prior
consent
and
benefit-sharing.
This
group
works
closely
with
the
Biotrade
Focal
Group
(see
below)
and
others
to
consolidate
recommendations
for
appropriate
policy
&
legislation
(see
also
the
DEA's
Environmental
Legislation
Project).
It
will
support,
and
be
led
by,
grassroots
NGOs
already
working
on
the
ground
on
related
issues.
Members:
Chair:
Sem
Shikongo
(NNBP)
E.
Beukes
(herbalist),
Henk
Coetsee
(MET),
Jafet
G/aq'o
(Working
Group
on
Indigenous
Minorities
in
Southern
Africa,
WIMSA),
Patrick
Graz
(Polytechnic
of
Namibia),
Ben
Hochobeb
(UNAM),
Thekla
Hohmann
(WIMSA),
Kahepako
Uariua-Kakujaha
(Namibian
NGO
Forum),
Mutjinde
Katjiua
(UNAM),
Siballi
Kgobetsi
(Namibian
Traditional
Healers'
and
Practitioners'
Board),
Debie
Le
Beau
(UNAM),
Cyril
Lombard
(Centre
for
Research
Innovation
Action
Africa),
Gillian
Maggs
-
Koelling
(NBRI),
J.P.
Msangi
(UNAM),
Teofilus
Nghitila
(DRFN),
Garth
Owen-Smith
(Integrated
Rural
Development
and
Nature
Conservation),
Pauline
Sekgonyana
(Namibia
Eagle
Traditional
Healers'
Association),
Penda
Shimali
(DRFN/Polytechnic
of
Namibia),
Richard
Simons
(UNAM),
Lorraine
Witschas
(herbalist)
Top
Biotrade
Focal
Group
The
development
of
national
policy
and
legislation
on
bioprospecting
and
other
biotrade-related
issues
such
as
intellectual
property
rights
and
benefit-sharing
are
the
main
focus
of
this
group,
which
formed
in
1998
with
a
preliminary
meeting
hosted
by
the
NBRI
in
1997.
Members:
Co-chairs:
Phoebe
Barnard
(NNBP)
and
Sem
Shikongo
(DEA)
)
Ben
Bennett
(MAWRD
economist),
Dave
Cole
(Centre
for
Research
Innovation
Action
Africa,
CRIAA),
Edward
Kamboua
(MTI),
Martha
Kandawa-Schulz
(UNAM),
Mutjinde
Katjiua
(UNAM),
Herta
Kolberg
(NBRI
-
National
Plant
Genetic
Resources
Centre),
Cyril
Lombard
(CRIAA),
Gillian
Maggs-Koelling
(NBRI),
Coleen
Mannheimer
(NBRI),
Eugène
Marais
(NMN),
Martin
Mbewe
(UNAM),
Mark
Robertson
(DRFN),
Helen
Suich
(DEA
economist),
Kahepako
Uariua-Kakujaha
(Namibian
NGO
Forum)
Biota
News
&
Updates:
Top
Namibian
Biotechnology
Alliance
(NABA)
NABA
was
formed
in
1996
to
help
consolidate
information
and
planning
related
to
biotechnology
and
biosafety
in
Namibia.
It
was
originally
chaired
by
the
Central
Veterinary
Laboratory
of
the
Ministry
of
Agriculture,
but
now
operates
from
the
Science
Faculty
at
UNAM,
under
the
auspices
of
the
Ministry
of
Higher
Education
and
Employment
Creation
(MHETEC).
Namibia
was
one
of
18
countries
participating
in
a
GEF-supported,
UNEP-assisted
pilot
project
to
develop
a
National
Biosafety
Framework
and
had
the
highest-ranked
results.
A
country
study
of
biotechnology
activities,
a
set
of
national
technical
guidelines
for
the
safe
use
of
biotechnology,
and
a
national
policy
have
been
completed,
and
draft
national
legislation
is
currently
underway.
See
also
NABA
and
National
Biosafety
Framework.
Members:
Chair:
Martha
Kandawa-Schulz
(UNAM)
Phoebe
Barnard
(NNBP),
Bianca
Braun
(MAWRD),
Axel
Hartmann
(private
veterinarian),
Jurgen
Hoffmann
(Namibian
Agronomic
Board),
John
Le
Roux
(Namibia
Meat
Board),
Harold
Kaura
(Central
Vet
Lab),
Geoffrey
Kauta
(Windhoek
Municipality),
Sem
Shikongo
(NNBP),
Paulina
Shiyelekeni
(MAWRD),
Elmo
Thomas
(MHETEC),
Selma-Penna
Uutonih
(MHETEC),
Berthold
Wöhlleber
(MAWRD,
treasurer),
Georgina
Zaïre
(Central
Vet
Lab)
Top
Terrestrial
Biomonitoring
Group
This
group
is
tackling
the
difficult
issue
of
monitoring
and
analysing
environmental
change
through
biodiversity
loss
and
disruption
of
ecological
processes
in
the
terrestrial
environment.
A
national
framework
for
terrestrial
biomonitoring
will
be
fully
integrated
with
other
environmental
change
monitoring
activities
for
desertification,
bush
encroachment
and
rangeland
management,
climate
change,
and
other
projects,
through
joint
planning.
The
group
first
met
in
1998
and
has
designed
a
core
network
of
long-term
ecological
research
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