Project Title:  Integrated approach to proactive management of human-wildlife conflict and wildlife crime in hotspot landscapes in Namibia (Namibia GEF 7 GWP PPG)

This project sets out to incentivize conservation in selected Human Wildlife Conflict (HWC)/illegal Wildlife Trade (IWT) hotspot landscapes by addressing the twin challenges of human wildlife conflict and wildlife crime in pro-active and integrated ways that generate benefits for rural communities from wildlife-based value chains. Through the adoption of these approaches, critical populations of high-value and at-risk wildlife species will be more strategically and effectively managed to reduce threats to their survival, and coexistence between wildlife and HWC-resilient communities will be incentivized, with increased benefits flowing to affected communities. The project will also work to enhance coordination, cooperation and knowledge-sharing to enable integrated and proactive management of HWC and wildlife crime, and build the HWC-IWT community of practice, both locally and regionally. The project is structured around four Components: (1) Management, prevention and mitigation of HWC; (2) Combating poaching and protecting wildlife populations; (3) Building the wildlife economy; and (4) Knowledge management, stakeholder coordination and M&E.  Its strategy is centred on socially-inclusive multi-stakeholder collaboration at national, regional and local scales; evidence-driven decision-making and management approaches (based on integrated social, economic and ecological research); implementation of innovative, fit-for-purpose technologies and best-practices that enhance capacity for prevention and management of wildlife crime and human-wildlife conflict; and entrepreneurship and sustainable business models that enable rural communities to gain greater benefits from wildlife conservation through diversified value chains. The project will operate in three broad areas in which there is both a high incidence of HWC and risk of IWT, but good potential to build rural livelihoods based on a vibrant wildlife-based economy