The Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism has allocated the lion's share of its 2023-24 budget allocation to wildlife protection, minister Pohamba Shifeta said in parliament on Wednesday.
He said over N$213 million has been allocated to the wildlife and protected area management programme.
The ministry has been allocated N$580 million for the fiscal year starting next month.
"Our protected areas continue to play an important role in conserving our wildlife, serve as important habitats and landscapes, and are one of the key tourist draw cards in Namibia," he said.
Shifeta mentioned the upgrading of 195 kilometres of road networks in the western part of the Etosha National Park, as one of the ministry's achievements.
The ministry has also completed the upgrading and construction of Etosha's 35-kilometre boundary fence.
The second-biggest chunk of the ministry's budget is an allocation of N$133 million to the environment and natural resources protection programme.
He said the programme involves the implementation of the Environmental Management Act of 2007, forestry management, environmental awareness, and the implementation of various multilateral environmental agreements.
Over 1 400 applications for environmental clearance certificates were received during the past year, with the majority related to mining and infrastructure development. Seventy-five percent of the applications have been approved.
