Unlocking Economic Opportunitiesin Communal Areas

Consider the untapped potential of Namibia’s communal land, a vast expanse that makes up 38% of the country’s land mass.

While communal land is often seen as pockets of poverty and underdevelopment, it is a goldmine of opportunities waiting to be discovered.

The key to turning communal land into centres of prosperity lies in creatively applying the existing legal framework and creating strategic collaborations, bringing together private investors, traditional authorities, civil society and the state.

Section 30 of Namibia’s Communal Land Reform Act (2002) offers a blueprint for this transformation.

Specifically, the ‘right of leasehold’ provision enables mutually beneficial lease arrangements between private investors and traditional authorities, paving the way for innovative land-based investments.

Such investments can potentially transform communal areas and stimulate economic growth.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Land in Namibia has captured the interest of academics, practitioners, traditional authorities and the private sector, particularly with the emergence of large-scale renewable energy projects.

A prime example is the Dâures Green Hydrogen Village.

Sixty kilometres east of the Atlantic Ocean, against the backdrop of the Brandberg mountains, this 15 000-hectare off-grid project aims to produce 18 tonnes of green hydrogen and 100 tonnes of green ammonia annually during the pilot phase.

It has already generated employment opportunities for community members, showcasing the potential of such projects to transform communal areas and stimulate economic growth.

What makes the Dâures project remarkable is the involvement of traditional authorities and local communities.

For instance, the village has allocated a 10% shareholding to the Dâures Daman traditional authority and the Tsiseb conservancy.

This ensures the project’s benefits directly reach the community and transform communal land into a source of prosperity rather than a symbol of poverty.

Integral stakeholders are involved in every step of this development.

One wonders why there are not more such developments.

Communal areas are seen as too risky for large-scale private investments, with a perceived lack of legal provisions to protect investors and local communities.

Critics also doubt the expertise in land administration to manage such projects. However, this is changing: Land administrators at all levels are increasingly collaborating with private, public and community stakeholders to ensure the success of such initiatives.

CREATING CAPACITY

Consider the significant role played by land administrators from the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform in ensuring the success of large-scale land-based investments.

They are instrumental in safeguarding the interests of local communities while making these projects attractive for long-term investors.

Their contributions are vital in ensuring that projects like the Dâures Green Hydrogen Village are not only successful but culturally sensitive, environmentally sustainable and legally compliant.

Yet, their efforts often go unnoticed, despite being essential to Namibia’s progress toward sustainable land and economic development.

Land administrators are acquiring valuable expertise through these projects.

In view of the global climate change crisis that is compelling countries like Namibia to invest in renewable energy alternatives, land administration skills can be transferred to other regions in Namibia and within southern African region.

Such institutional capacity positions Namibia as a leader in innovative land administration practices.

As Namibia continues to develop its communal lands, the expertise of land administrators will become even more critical locally and abroad.

Of course, no large-scale land-based investment comes without challenges. Some critics worry that involving private investors leads to excessive exploitation of natural resources or reckless disruption of traditional ways of life.

These concerns are valid and demand careful planning, transparent negotiations and robust legal safeguards.

Only then can these risks be mitigated, allowing for the responsible development of communal areas with the oversight of traditional authorities and communal land boards, and the involvement of civil society.

COMMON GOALS

Namibia is on the cusp of pioneering bold private-led investments on communal land.

The choice is between letting communal areas remain underutilised or unlocking their potential through innovative legal frameworks and strategic collaborations.

Even in its initial phase, the Dâures Green Hydrogen Village reveals what is possible when all stakeholders work together toward a common goal.

It is time for policymakers, traditional authorities, investors and communities to join forces and replicate this model nationwide.

We can transform communal areas from symbols of economic deprivation into engines of sustainable growth and prosperity.

The future of our communal lands is bright. Let’s seize this opportunity and make it a reality for all Namibians.

• Sam Mwando is a lecturer in the department of land and spatial sciences at the Namibia University of Science and Technology. He writes in his personal capacity.