JULY, 2019
ENERGY & SUSTAINABILITY News & Analysis
Namibia and Sustainability “A Winning Combination”!
IN THIS MONTH’S ISSUE: Rosewood Harvesting Deemed Unsustainable The Practice of Living a Sustainable Lifestyle – "The NaDEET Experience" Who's Who? Featuring APLI Namibia
The NAMIBIA Country Briefing of RDJ Consulting
C O N T E N T S 4
5
FromTheEditor
Quick Facts
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11
Economy at a Glance
Oil & Gas
12
13
Uranium
Electricity
14
20
Renewable Energy
Water
21
23
The Environment and Telecommunications Sustainabilty
24
25
Roads and Transport
Financing
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29
Who's Who
Tenders and Careers
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31
UpNext
Contributing Authors
JULY, 2019
RDJ Consulting Services CC is an advisory consultancy to the Energy, Water and Transport Sectors with a focus on sustainable operations and renewable energy.
From the editor Namibia and Sustainability “A Winning Combination”! Dear Reader, As we continue to inform all the persons we can reach in the Energy and Sustainability landscape, we present another edition of the hard work of our talented team of interns. This Edition is focused on the fact that Namibia and Sustainability are without a doubt, a perfect winning combination. We therefore have topics on: Reviewing some of the Country’s Financial Acts (pg.10) Attracting investments (pg. 8 and 12) Boosting the Country’s Energy Mix (pg.14) Practicing Sustainability at home and communities, and making it a lifestyle (pg.15-19, and pg.22) Prioritising the provision of basic needs – such as water supply (pg.20) Educating the youth (pg.26-27)
PO Box 23738 Windhoek, NAMIBIA Telephone +264 61 400 171 EMAIL briefing@rdjconsulting.co.za WEBSITE www.rdjconsulting.co.za
Combinations therefore are a win-win formula and it is our strong belief that Namibia has all the ingredients to move us forward. Please therefore enjoy this edition and feel free to reach out to us in anyway. Further, if you are new to the RDJ Briefing, subscribe to this FREE Publication at briefing@rdjconsulting.co.za and freely share the link with others that will benefit from its contents. Enjoy….
( David A. Jarrett) Editor
Authors RDJ Interns*
This report is a FREE Publication and was prepared by RDJ Consulting Services CC based in Windhoek, Namibia. The content is collated from publicly available information and so its accuracy cannot be guaranteed.
quick facts Population size: 2.3 Million Employment: 66.6% Literacy rate: 89.0% GDP Growth (2018): -0.1% Repo Rate: 6.75 % Interest rate (Prime): 10.5% Inflation (CPI): 3.9% Industries: Tourism, Mining, Fishing Telecom (sophistication): LTE Mobile - cell phones: 2.575 million Subscribers Water availability: 8 800 000 cubic litres/capita Electricity Gen. (Local): 484.000 MW Electricity Demand (all): 629.000 MW www.rdjconsulting.co.za
PRESS RELEASE 30 July 2019
RDJ CONSULTING INSPIRES TRAINEES FROM THE PUBLIC SECTOR AND THE YOUTH Energy & Sustainability Consulting firm, RDJ Consulting[1] (RDJ), hosted an informative and hands-on on Microsoft Excel Training on Friday, 26 July 2019, at NIPAM in, Windhoek. The training was well attended by students from various local academic institutions studying different courses (Mathematics, Statistics, IT and Biology) as well as representatives from the Ministry of Finance and RDJ Consulting (interns and staff). The Microsoft Excel Training was facilitated by the Managing Consultant of RDJ, Mr. David Jarrett and covered Excel topics such as: Organize Workbooks & Sheets, Sort & Filter Data, and Advanced Filtering & Conditional Filtering. Participants were happy to have received training in both basic and crucial topics, as they reported these to be a vital tool that will be applicable in their diverse professions. The training session achieved most of its objectives[2] since: Participation and interaction were encouraged The topics covered were relevant to the participants The content was organized and easy to follow The materials distributed were helpful The training experience was useful in the participant’s work The session was also aimed at readying students for the job market by equipping them and the employed (that attended) with Excel skills that they will use daily at their workplaces. After the training, each participants was given a free Training Booklet containing all the topics covered for further practice, and they noted the need for similar and more advanced training in areas such as Cyber Security, Financial Literacy, Deep Modelling, Forecasting, Data analysis and Full Microsoft Package training. Bohemian Building Friedrich Giese Street Klein Windhoek +264 61 400 171 office@rdjconsulting.co.za www.rdjconsulting.co.za "RDJ Consulting is based in Windhoek, Namibia and is a 100% Namibian owned business."
[1] The short form denotation of RDJ Consulting Services CC, Windhoek, Namibia [2] Attendee comments
Sincerely RDJ Team
Highlights Microsoft Excel Training Workshop
8 JULY, 2019
economy at a glance
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Namibia’s Investment Position Analysis
hen long run income stream of the nation’s external investments and external expenditures on investments in that nation are anticipated, the international indebtedness level of that country would be priority to determine how much of fiscal policy and monetary policy is needed (Salvatore, 2012). In June 2019 the central bank of Namibia, Bank of Namibia released its quarterly bulletin for the March quarter of 2019 (first quarter).
AUTHOR: Fares Shipaxu - Economist @ RDJ Consulting EDITOR: Priscila Olga - Economist @ RDJ Consulting
Figure 1: Namibia Current Account (CA) and Net International Investment Position (NIIP) Data Source: Bank of Namibia-Quarterly Bulletin June 2019
According to the bulletin, and as illustrated in Figure1, Namibia’s balance of indebtedness (International Investment position/International Balance sheet) was positive during the first and second quarters of 2015. This indicates that the country had a significant and positive economic performance during the quarters of that year. However, during the third quarter of that year, the Country’s balance of indebtedness declined to the negatives, and remained so subsequently to reach an uptrend decrease of -N$11.83 billion in the March quarter of 2019. Looking at the Current Account (CA) balance, it is evident from the graph that continuous deficits have persisted over the years until the fourth quarter of 2018. This only took a turn around in the first quarter of 2019, where the Country had a positive current account balance of not less than N$1.11 billion. A positive CA balance usually occurs when consumers decide to cut consumption, to increase savings. In the Namibian context, we can
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attribute this positive balance in 2019 to factors such as the recent significant decrease in sales of new vehicle in the market, showing an increase in consumers’ savings. The Namibian Newspaper (dated 2019-07-17) reported that new vehicle sales in the country have plummeted by 13.9 percent and 7.4 percent during the months of May and June respectively, as consumers decided to move into buying second-hand cars which are less costly, rather than first hand or new vehicles which are more expensive in face of the current economy. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the month of June (month on month) has likewise eased to 3.9 percent, as the economy contracted further by 2 percent. This should be pre-emptive enough for the central bank to slash interest rates to circumvent further “potential economic problems from materializing.”
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With persistent deficits in the CA, the Namibian dollar (NAD or N$) has been feeble, and it could mean losing capital in the domestic economy, because according to Cedric (2017), when such scenarios occur, consequences may lead to a surge in the value of international liabilities (assets owned by foreign nationals in Namibia).
For example, when the NAD depreciated sharply against the US dollar (US$) in the second quarter of 2015 from N$12.09 to reach N$15.86 in the first quarter of 2016, it resulted in an increase in assets owned by foreign nationals in Namibia, and a decrease in Namibian-owned assets abroad, as it required a Namibian investor to have more NAD to be able to buy foreign assets. The NAD however appreciated gradually from the first quarter of 2016 reach 11.93 in the first quarter of 2018, increasing Namibia-owned assets abroad to N$134.49 billion from N$123.86 billion. See Figure2 for this.
Figure 2: International assets, international Liabilities and Exchange rate Data Source: Bank of Namibia-Quarterly Bulletin June 2019
The Modified Single Buyer (MSB) Model introduced by the Electricity Control Board (ECB), and approved by Cabinet in April has already been attracting INVESTMENTS in the country, especially in the areas of Renewable Energy through Independent Power Producers (IPPs). For instance, the model will see a capacity of 50MW Solar PV Plant constructed by IPP TeraSun Energy, a subsidiary of Natura Energy, at an investment amount of N$900 million. With the ongoing Namibia Investment Summit, more challenges and opportunities for international investments in the country is expected to arise. PNG Source: http://www.wealthplankaro.com
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10 JULY, 2019
Upcoming Events 2. Namibian Economist Businesswomen Conference The Economist Businesswomen, Telecom Namibia and Standard Bank Namibia launched the 2019 Businesswomen event on 27 June 2019. According to Desere Lundon-Muller, who is the chairperson of the Economist Businesswomen (as cited in the Namibian Newspaper: 201907-01), the conference aims to “create an opportunity for women to share their expertise and skills, networks, support one another, and to create worthwhile business relationships.” Being the main sponsor of the conference, Telecom Namibia, hopes that participants gain the skills and possibilities that they could use in their careers/businesses both in the short run and long run, and also look forward to innovative debate on how to possibly evoke entrepreneurial possibilities for the participants. The event will be held in the northern part of Namibia on 08 August, 2019.
Remodelling Financial Acts
Namibian
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on-Banking sector is in theory free of state regulations and hence they are likely to outnumber the traditional banks if not monitored which will in turn grant them an increasingly pivotal feature of credit demand provision. Thus, remodelling (or doing away with) non-banking sector laws has been identified to greatly attain “market efficiency, transparency, and international standards” as they usually set methods that can be used in segmenting markets, certification, sensible regulation, commentary, monitoring, “corporate governance, and consumer protection.” Similarly, the Namibian government is currently looking into abolishing Acts such as the Friendly and Pension Fund Act of 1956 and Long and Short Term Insurance Act of 1998, as well as replacing the Unit Trust Control Act of 1981 and Stock Exchange Control Act of 1985. This is being done as is seen to be the best way to “create a holistic and integrated regulation framework” that regulated non-banking financial institutions. In doing this, the government expect the reinforcement of corporate governance, as well as consumer protection by means of making sure that they understand financial terms upon coming to the financial service provider such as insurance services.
3. Okakarara Trade Fair To show case what the town has to offer and attract investors to the town, the town of Okakarara launched its trade fair for 2019 on June 24 2019. The Trade Fair is expected to take place from the 2nd to the 8th of September 2019, with an expected 250 selling stands to be set up and about 10 000 participants to attend. As of 10 July, Participants have been trained on how to make their businesses known. Additionally, a gala dinner and horse racing will be hosted on 1 August and 10 August respectively to raise funds for the event’s logistics.
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"Doing away with nonbanking sector laws has been identified to greatly attain market efficiency, transparency, and international standards" Fares Shipaxu - Economist @RDJ Consulting
JULY, 2019 11
oil & gas
Image Source - https://africaoilandpower.com
The “Make Energy Work” Conference in Africa
A
conference on Africa Oil & Power (AOP) is expected to take place on 9-11 October 2019 in Cape Town. The event will be themed “Make Energy Work”.
It takes centre on acknowledging how economic growth is easily attainable in presence of energy. With an estimated number of 1200 delegates originating from all over the world, Ministers from 20 African nations and global leaders in petroleum and power sectors expected to attend, the event is anticipated to last for at least three days in South Africa, discussing topics in such as: Local Content - Going from Buzzword to Reality Technology - The Future of Cost-Effective Exploration and Production Upstream Africa - The Future of Exploration & Production Renewables - The Key to Lighting Africa The Utility of the Future Financing Africa’s Power Sector Seismic Driving Exploration in Africa Africa’s Shifting Trade Routes & The Pricing Destination Financing a Continent on the Move Make Energy Work - Energy That Drives Diversification
July 2019 Fuel Price The Ministry of Mines and Energy reported reported that the fuel pump rices for the entire month of July 2019 would remain unchanged. Therefore, the prices remained follows: 95 Octane Unleaded petrol: N$ 13.05 per liter & Diesel 50 ppm: N$ 13.63 per liter
"The theme #MakeEnergyWork will showcase the energy sector as a key driver of economic growth, jobs, and opportunity for Africa’s people and private sectors." - AOP 2019 www.rdjconsulting.co.za
12 JULY, 2019
uranium US Uranium Imports and Its Effect on Namibia’s Exports
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t is well known that Namibia has significant uranium resources and existing mines capable of providing 10% of world mining output. Namibia’s first commercial uranium mine began operating in 1976, and there continues to be strong government support for expanding uranium mining and some interest in using nuclear power due to recent developments arising, as already elaborated in the RDJ Briefing of June 2019 (P.8). Namibia is also, one of the minor uranium-exporting countries to the United States of America (US). Exports to the US have been decreasing over the years, with the highest export figure recorded in 2010 at N$1.25 billion and, according to Mining Analyst Kees Dekker, no uranium was exported to the USA in 2018. Statistics show that due to increased production by foreign state-owned enterprises, the US now imports approximately 93 percent of its commercial uranium, compared to 85.8 percent in 2009. This uranium includes uranium ore, uranium concentrate, uranium hexafluoride, enriched uranium, and enriched uranium in fuel assemblies. According to the US Secretary of Commerce’s Investigation, this increase in import of uranium has distorted global prices and made it more difficult for their domestic mines to compete. Hence, the Secretary concluded that the quantities and circumstances at which uranium is being imported into the US threatens to impair its national security as defined under section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, as amended (19 U.S.C. 1862) (the “Act”). With regards to this, the President (Donald Trump) decided to: Conduct a fuller analysis of national security considerations with respect to the entire nuclear fuel supply chain Establish the United States Nuclear Fuel Working Group to develop recommendations for reviving and expanding domestic nuclear fuel production, due to significant challenges faced in the domestic production of uranium attempting to threaten National Security
AUTHOR: Priscila Olga - Economist @ RDJ Consulting
EDITOR: David Jarrett, Managing Consultant @ RDJ Consulting
This makes more sense especially now that China is dominating the Namibian uranium export market, securing a great deal of uranium production in Namibia for their domestic purposes. In fact, China has already taken up more Namibian uranium, from about N$672 million in export gains recorded in 2010 to N$5.5 billion in 2018. It is evident that the biggest contributor is the Chinese-controlled Husab mine, which earned revenue of about N$4.6 billion in 2018, along with the new acquisition of Rössing Uranium mine now under Chinese disposal for a price of N$1.5 billion. This is decision therefore is certain to leave the Namibian uranium export market hardly shaken by any decision made by the US regarding its Uranium Imports. However, it is not news to sleep on, especially knowing that the US is one of the world’s largest uranium consuming countries. Any negative fluctuations in this economic sector may ultimately pose a threat to world producers, including Namibia. Additional readings:
This approach may yield decisions that could benefit some, and unfortunately be challenging to other uranium producers and suppliers connected to the US uranium market in the near future. Based on this, it can be said that Namibia is likely not to be affected by any tariffs or barriers imposed on the uranium export market to the US.
1. https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/memorandumeffect-uranium-imports-national-security-establishment-unitedstates-nuclear-fuel-working-group/ 2. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trade-uranium/u-s-agencysubmits-uranium-import-probe-to-white-house-idUSKCN1RR1RB 3. https://www.sltrib.com/news/2019/07/13/trump-rejects-import/ 4. https://www.namibian.com.na/79881/read/Namibia-safe-shouldTrump-hike-uranium-tariffs
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JULY, 2019 13
electricity
NORED Continuously Maintaining its CSR
Image showing Steet Lights and Transmission Polwelines : Image Credit - RDJ Consulting
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The location of Ndama at Rundu were installed with streets distance lights by the Northern Regional Electricity Distributor, NORED on 11 July 2019. The locations’ streets used to be dark for residents to walk on and hence the governor of the region thanked the Distributor for the continued practice of CSR, as according to him crime levels in the location will now be lower.
14 JULY, 2019
renewable energy
A New Solar PV to Come to Existence at Arandis A 50 MW Solar plant worth US$63.2 million (N$900 million) is going to be built in the June quarter of 2020 at Arandis by TeraSun. Development work to the value of N$10 million has has already begun, more than 60 employment opportunities are envisaged during the construction “and five more during the operation phase�. According to the ECB, the main change to the current Single Buyer Model (MSB) is that the MSB will allow transmission electricity consumers and independent power producers (IPPs) to transact with each other directly for the supply of electricity. Transmission customers will now also be able to buy a portion (up to 30%) of their energy requirements directly from a private generator.
Image showing a Solar Power Plant in Namibia : Image Credit - RDJ Consulting
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JULY, 2019 15
The Practice of Living a Sustainable Lifestyle – "The NaDEET Experience"
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rom the 1st to the 5th of July 2019, two of RDJ Consulting interns attended a Solar Cooking And Sustainable Living Workshop at NaDEET Centre in the Namib Desert. The workshop's main aims were to "gain practical skills in solar cooking, network with fellow youth and to explore the desert as it targeted aspiring Ecoentrepreneurs & chefs, Youth leaders & activists and finally students".
AUTHOR: Fares Shipaxu Economist @ RDJ Consulting
The Centre is solely powered by solar (12 solar panels) and its water source is a solar pump (borehole). Animals, insects and people serve one another, as no one gets succumbed to biting, attacking, or killing the other. To adapt a different way of living by reducing our ecological footprint, the attendants of the workshop carried out different activities in different days, of which are elaborated below.
Testing Energy Efficiency in the Electricity Consumption In the course of day two participants were introduced to the team present, and were taught on how they could use energy efficiently if they did away with disruptive energy consumption habits or the use of old electricity appliances, and rather shift to modern appliances which are more energy efficient. Participants were also provided with information on the subject, and got a chance to witness and/or practice electricity saving methods using different energy efficient appliances. For instance, it was taught that a 60 watt (W) Incandescent Light Bulb costs N$13.00 but will need to be bought at least four times a year due to its short life-span, and this is equivalent to an average annual cost of N$52 per bulb used. This is contrast to the 5W Light Emitting Diode (LED) bulb which saves energy cost by 92 percent, equivalent to N$12.05 per annum as shown on Table 1 below.
CO-AUTHOR: Peter N. Haufiku Intern @ RDJ Consulting
EDITORS: Priscila Olga - Economist @ RDJ Consulting David Jarrett - Managing Consultant @ RDJ Consulting
Purchasing energy efficient products such as LED bulb helps consumers “save money and the environment”. However, electrical appliances such as Radio, Iron, DStv PVR Decoder, and a Phone (Mobile phone) can waste energy that could have been used for other purposes when set on standby mode. For instance, Radio consumes 2 watts and DStv PVR decoder consumes 9 watts when they are on standby mode (on plug), as depicted on Table 2 below.
Table 1: Comparisons between Traditional Incandescent, Compact Fluorescent Lamp CFL), and LEDs REFERENCE: Annual Energy Cost figures on the table are computed on the assumption that a household spends four hours with lights on per day. 1 kilowatt hour of electricity costs N$1.65. Other readings for data include: https://www.energystar.gov/about/about_energy_efficiency?s=mega
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Table 2: Electricity consumption by Appliance when on standby mode as opposed to that.
16 JULY, 2019
Leaving the radio on standby costs N$0.08 per day, which is equivalent to N$29.20 per year while leaving a DStv Explora decoder or PVR decoder on standby takes N$124.10 in annual costs. As seen on the table, electrical appliances such as Radio and DStv PVR Decoder do consume energy even when they are not in use. A Radio consumes about 2 watts while DStv PVR decoder consumes about 9 watts when set off on standby mode, i.e. plugged in, but not in use.
The Solar Cooking Devices used for the “Workshop Cooking” On the second day, participants were introduced to cooking devices including a solar cookers, solar ovens and fuel efficient stoves which are generally used in the absence of sunlight. All stoves are environmental friendly and were used during the entire workshop for cooking.
The Solar Cooker Image Credit - RDJ Consulting
1. The Solar Cooker This stove is equipped with a pot ‘plate’ where posts rest on to cook, while the solar cooker is faced into the direction of the sun to attract as much heat as possible. The stove structure allows sun rays to be collected and redirected to a single spot (in the middle) where the pot stove is. The pots used be preferably black on the outside, to allow faster heat absorption for cooking. 2. The Solar Oven The oven has a black interior; double layered glass, to keep moisture and trap heat. It also acts as a greenhouse to capture sun rays when they hit the double layered glass and send it back to the oven. The oven is also fitted with industrial foil/mirror which helps in the reflection of sun rays, and is minted in black painted wood to attract more sun rays and be able keep more heat through the wood. The oven has a wide space inside to accommodate cooking trays. In order to attract enough heat, the oven is also faced to the direction of the sun, with solar like foils constantly checked and faced down ward to reflect the sun heat back to the oven. 3. The Fuel Efficient Stove These are constructed with a finished metal paint bucket, and fixed with wires (ordinary wires) inside which are lined across each other horizontally. Holes are made surrounding the bucket to allow the wires hang tightly and in fixed positions. The wires are lined across each other with only a few inches between their crossings to avoid the fire balls from reaching the bottom of the bucket. The pot is placed on wires which act as ‘wire seat’. 4. Recycled “Fire Balls” Stoves In order to make Fire Balls for cooking in the absence of sunlight, papers are collected and soaked in water for over a day. They are then concentrated in wood shavings to give the solution a more thick and rigid appearance, and then made into ball shaped forms by means of hands and put in open plain space to dry for at least a week. Once dry, the fireballs are then placed on the stove to be used for cooking instead of charcoal or any other fuel.
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The Solar Cooker Image Credit - RDJ Consulting
Measuring Energy Efficiency of the Solar Cooking Devices To put the demonstration into practice participants were asked to cook food using those devices everyday day of the workshop under a routine supervision of a NaDEET staff. This was called “The Great Cook Off”. For the cook-off, each group consisted of four participants, and was allocated 800 grams of fuel to use. The time, usually minutes are noted to keep track of how many pots of 2000 millilitres of water a cooking method could take to boil the water with only the allocated cooking fuel. There were four cooking methods used; Open fire, Fuel Efficient Stove with Wood, Fuel Efficient Stove (FES) with Recycled Fireballs (RFB), and Vesto stove. See Figure on the following page.
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Figure 3: Measuring cooking efficiency by cooking methods at the Centre
The outcome of the experiment shows that the Vesto Stove was the most efficient cooking method, because it only took about seven (7) minutes and thirty-two seconds to boil 200 millilitres (ml) of water. Vesto Stove also came efficient in terms of boiling more pots (5) of water compared to all the others methods. Open Fire was found to be the second most efficient method for taking up to ten (10) minutes and four (4) seconds to boil the same quantity of water.
Measuring the Environmental Impact of the Great Cook and the Workshop Cooking The Environmental impact of emission during cooking was measured throughout the workshop. At the end, it was discovered that for every hour of cooking, a total of 250 grams (g) of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) was emitted into the atmosphere.
zero emissions, since only Solar Energy/heat was used to cook. However, one hour of cooking by means of fuel-efficient stove (during the nights when there was no sunlight) was spent per day in four days. This resulted into a total emission of 1 kg (250g*4days=1000g) of CO2 emitted. Thus, NaDEET was evaluated to be more environmentally friendly when only solar energy was used.
Water Consumption and Management During the Workshop The workshop accommodated nine camping houses of which seven were occupied by four participants, one was occupied by two participants, and the last was the main building which featured the kitchen. Each of the houses had cold and hot water tanks of 200 litres (volume) and hence water measurements were taken at every house on a daily basis. At the end of the workshop, a total of 2384 litres of both cold and hot water was consumed at the end of the workshop (accounting for a total of three days). It was evident that the consumption of water by all houses decreased by 5.8 and then 9 percentage points in day 2 and day 3 respectively, indicating a gradual sustainable way of using water day by day.
During the “Great Cook Off”, which was an experiment that lasted for less than an hour, it was observed that the different cooking methods (Open fire, FES with firewood, FES with RFB, and Vesto stove) produced about 175g, 138g, 179g, and 150g of CO2 respectively. Meanwhile, the entire Workshop Cooking, which accounted for 16 hours throughout the entire workshop, was evaluated with
Image showing different uses of water. PNG Source: www.pinclipart.com
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18 JULY, 2019
Waste Generation and Management During the Workshop The waste generated at the Centre is categorised into five groups: Compost, Paper, Plastic, Glass & Tin, and Burnables. A total of 38.25 kg of waste was produced by the 30 participants during the workshop, of which 33 kg was compost, 0.75 kg was paper, 2.75 was plastic, 1.25 kg was glass & tin, and 0.5 kg was burnables.
Image showing waste collection. PNG Source: peoplepng.com
Comparing Water Consumption at NaDEET and in Windhoek At NaDEET, thirty people could consume 2384 litres of water in four days. This means that each person only consumed about 19.87 litres per day. In Windhoek, an average house of five people consume up to 4543 litres of water in four days. This means that each person consumes about 227.19 litres per day. (Calculations for Windhoek are based on City of Windhoek’s water charges: an average house of five people in Windhoek spends roughly N$761.67 per month on domestic water and N$22.35 is charged per 1000 litres of water consumed). Water at NaDEET was more efficiently used than in Windhoek because participants were encourage to develop sustainable habits in their water consumption. For instance: Using a cap of water to brush saved more water compared to leaving a tap to run while brushing as practiced in Windhoek; also, ensuring that all taps are tightly closed to avoid water from leaking saved more water.
"It is important that people are well educated on the importance of Renewable Energy and introduced to the available technologies. It is also essential that access to affordable, reliable and sustainable modern energy is made easy to everyone, in order to achieve a successful sustainable living lifestyle for all." Priscila Olga - Economist @RDJ Consulting
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Conclusion, Lessons Recommendations
Learnt
and
To a large extend, the workshop was fruitful, as a number of expectations were met. For example, electricity was saved by the use of the different energy efficient appliances. As shown in Table 2, electrical appliances such as Radio and DStv PVR Decoder consume energy even when they are not in use, as long as they are on standby mode. Aside from the disadvantage that sun rays reflection in buildings could cause fire, solar cooking devices such as solar cooker and solar stove cook food way more efficiently as no food is likely to get burnt. The fuel-efficient stove used in intermittence cases is environmental friendly as it only produces minimal carbon dioxide emissions. Water can also be used sustainably if sustainable ways/habits of consuming water are applied. Moreover, waste can be effectively managed when it arises, as it is inevitably produced by means of separating it. Having witnessed what these solar devices could do to change livelihoods, it can be concluded that ‘sustainable living’ can be achieved in countries like Namibia that are blessed with abundance of solar irradiation. Although we intend to transfer and apply the knowledge back tour communities where people largely cook by open fire, and given the fact the solar devices are economical, we recommend that all rural areas nationwide be supplied with such devices. It is important that people are well educated on the importance of Renewable Energy and introduced to the available technologies. It is also essential that access to affordable, reliable and sustainable modern energy is made easy to everyone, in order to achieve a successful sustainable living lifestyle for all.
Participants and Some of the Activities Carried out During the Workshop at NaDEET Image Curtesy of Hanns Seidel Foundation
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20 JULY, 2019
water
Image showing a water pipeling distributing water to some areas of Namibia : Image Credit - RDJ Consulting
Namibia Can Have Sustainable Water Through PPP
T
he ‘Open Africa Round-table Financing Water Projects’ event which attempted to look at efficient ways of concessions on domestic water supplies, saw pivotal issues raised by the Executive Director of the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry (MAWF). He noted that an amount of N$12 billion will be needed in the country to have water self-sufficiency of which 2 billion could be raised by NamWater. This would include calling for investments through adventures such as the Public Private Partnerships (PPP), and according to the Executive Director, this “can be a mechanism, among others, to help government fund muchneeded infrastructure and bring technology and efficiency that can improve the performance and financial sustainability of the water sector.”
Through the drought relief programme a total of 15 boreholes in the //Karas Region are reported to have been identified as needing rehabilitation, and hence will be attended to. Read more here...
Goverment at Work in Tackling Water Crisis in the Country 1. A New Water Pipeline for the OshuukwaOkeeholongo Villages A 65-kilometre water pipeline, valued at the cost of 60 million Namibian Dollars has been constructed by the government in Oshuukwa-Okeeholongo villages at Omusati Region. In his State of the Region Address on 12 July 2019 at Outapi, The Omusati Governor stated that the funds used were part of the 2018/19 financial year. The pipe is said to be one of the longest pipelines in the region, supplying water to the villages of Otoongo, Okakoto, Iitapa and Onambandje in an area reported to have always been without close water supply.
2. Engombe Residents and Livestock Get Water Residents of Engombe in Uuvudhiya in the Omusati region are reported to have now received water from Olushandja Dam. However, Lake Oponona, which serves most residents as well as their animals’ grazing areas is yet to receive water. This is thanks to a positive response to they received from NamWater after making several assistance calls to the utility.
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JULY, 2019 21
ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY
Image Courtesy of RDJ Consulting
Rosewood Harvesting Deemed Unsustainable
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ddressing participants at a workshop on Forest Resource Management on the week of the 12th of July, Teofilus Nghitila, the
Executive Director of Environment (MET) declared that the commercial harvesting of Rosewood was an unstainable practice for Namibia. The commercial harvesting of Rosewood could lead to the extinction of the species in Namibia, because its regeneration is quite slow, and the commercial value that could possibly be obtained from its harvest is likely to result in a loss. It was therefore advised to preserve the tree for biodiversity. A study done by the Namibia University of Science and Technology's (NUST) Faculty of Natural Resources, stated that the time it takes for Rosewood trees in Namibia to reach full maturity is unknown. The same study found that in areas where commercial harvesting had taken place, the regeneration of hardwoods like Rosewood did not occur for more than 25 years. In support of the study, CEO of the Namibia Chamber of Environment, Dr Chris Brown pointed out that harvesting these trees for commercial purposes which is currently for export is not lucrative unless they are beneficiated domestically. Moreover, stringent laws are necessary to protect these plants, as well as the harvest of timber in general.
Ensuring a Sustainable & Integrated Development of the Ocean Through a Blue Economy Policy
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mplementation of a Sustainable Blue Economy Policy is underway, to ensure that the country benefits from all its marine activities. Speaking at a one -day workshop,
Fisheries Minister Bernhard Esau informed the public that the policy seeks to ensure sustainable and integrated development of the ocean. The Blue Economy is anchored on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) #14 – “Life Below Water”. The initiative is about the ocean, this policy is said to include inland water bodies such as lakes and rivers, “because all water on earth is ecologically interconnected and related with the ocean as the main driver of this water ecosystem.” Therefore, the principles of ocean ecosystems are therefore directly applicable to small water bodies such as rivers and lakes. The Blue Economy in Namibia includes fisheries, marine mining, marine and coastal tourism, maritime transport and coastal infrastructure such as ports, towns and coastal industries. Blue Economy differs from Ocean Economy in that it must include the three pillars of Blue Economy – Environmental Sustainability, Economic Sustainability and Social Inclusion. A drafting committee has been established and has already developed a Policy Development Roadmap. The committee is supported by the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem project III, which is funded by the Global Environment Facility.
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22 JULY, 2019
The San Know Trees are the Way Forward to Combat Climate Change and Improve Food Security AUTHOR: Lara Diez, Nyae Nyae Development Foundation
San children in the Nyae Nyae Conservancy planting Moringa, Paw Paw and citrus trees Image Courtesy of Nyae Nyae Conservancy
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ven in the dry and arid regions of Namibia, trees can survive; provide shade and improved food security for people. The San in the Nyae Nyae Conservancy have found that trees are more resilient to drought than other plants and once established are very easily maintained. On top of that there’s increasing evidence that planting trees may help address climate change. Recently the idea of planting one billion trees globally to offset climate change was proposed in a study published in the journal; Science on July 4th, 2019. Many villages in the Nyae Nyae Conservancy area now have a range of trees providing shade, mulch material, fruit with some even have medicinal properties. The garden and tree planting project was initially focused on food security. Its aim was to increase nutrition particularly amongst children, who were actively engaged in the gardens and planting of these trees. Teaching them valuable lessons about agriculture and conservation and seeing the fruits of their labour grow and flourish and the conservancy benefit. These trees are hardy and can withstand the desert climate. Especially trees like Paw Paw and Guava saplings were planted. As previously stated the planting of trees locally, but
globally as well, will contribute to cutting carbon in the atmosphere. If one billion are planted, these trees could cut carbon (a part of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide) in the atmosphere by nearly 25%, bringing it down to levels not seen for nearly 100 years, according to scientists. Although it will take decades for new forests to mature and achieve this potential and decrease carbon globally, tree planting needs to start now. Planting trees now will safeguard future generations and combat climate change. With the added benefit of providing much needed benefits from their fruits, mulch and medicinal properties. The San are taking advantage of these multiple benefits. The local Ministry of Agriculture Water and Fisheries provided paw paw and guava plants while other local suppliers have provided various citrus, grapes, custard apple, moringa among others. Active pest control and co-planting insect repelling plants means that no pesticides are needed that are costly and damaging to the environment. Truly creating a beneficial conservation area within the Conservancy….a big win indeed! The San have always lived off the land and they are the first to feel the effects of climate change. These projects and trees help the San adapt to climate change while at the same time starting to plant some of those billion trees that might help offset climate change impacts.
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JULY, 2019 23
TELECOMMUNICATIONS Telecom Continues Re-Designing its Outlets
Visual elements of the new iWay store Photo Credit: www.telecom.na
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elecom Namibia is in the process of transforming its Teleshops countrywide. So far, it has already redesigned three of its shops; one being a flagship store opened at Grove Mall in 2018, another being a teleshop opened at Nkurenkuru in April 2019, and the recent one opened along Independence Avenue in Windhoek's Central Business District. The modernized open plan setup designed stores will allow for interaction with customers and give an improved retail presentation of its products and services. The interior of the shops include a customer care centre, a point where faults are reported, a point where customers can apply for new services, as well as a billing centre for service payments. Telecom’s CEO said at the opening that the shop is a modern reflection of the Telecom brand, and aligns with the nextgeneration retail experience. It is through these efforts that the company is now focused on enhancing the customer service experience and satisfaction.
MTC Appoints Interim CEO
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icky Richard Erastus has been appointed as acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Officer (CEO) of Namibia’s Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC). He replaced Thinus Smit who has reigned on an interim basis as well. MTC’s Board Chairperson, Elvis Nashilongo said that “a substantive” CEO is in the process of being appointed, and the public will soon be notified.
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24 JULY, 2019
ROADS AND TRANSPORT
Image showing a road in Namibia Courtesy of RDJ Consulting
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JULY, 2019 25
FINANCING Namibia Nature Foundation Receives Financial Support from FNB
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he Namibia Nature Foundation (NNF) received a financial support of about N$234 000 from FirstRand Namibia Foundation Trust during the conservancy annual general meeting at Okatumba Gate , in the Otjombinde constituency. The finances will be used to fund the Omuramba ua Mbinda conservancy, as well as two Community Forests (Eiseb and Otjombinde). The conservancies will utilise the funds for harvesting, purchase of equipment and supplies for caretakers as well asa training staff on financial management, especially management committees. Such trainings are essential to assist management in applying “sound financial systems in place; ensuring transparency, accountability, compliance and good governance of the conservancies".
Namibian Farmers Receive Donations for Drought Relief
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he farmers affected by drought in the country, received a donation N$650 000 from the Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC) through the Namibian Agricultural Union (NAU) on 09 July 2019. The NAU, which comprises of Commercial Farmers will receive N$250 000, while the Namibia National Farmers Union, which comprises of Communal Farmers will receive N$400 000 from the total donation received. Meanwhile, the Namibia Post and Telecom Holdings has also availed N$60 million for drought.
German Embassy Finances Construction in Namibia
Road
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hrough its “Labour Based Road Construction Programme”, the German Embassy in Namibia contributed approximately N$900 million towards the construction of access roads in the Northern areas of Namibia. To date, the Programme has succeeded in the construction of about 700 KM of roads in the Northern Regions, as these areas continue to be negatively affected by floods during rainy seasons. An additional 10 access roads have recently been inaugurated in the Omusati Region in June 2019. Furthermore, the “Access Roads for Climate Adaptation” in Northern Namibia is a another Programme co-funded by Germany and Namibia, of which the German government is expected to contribute up to N$132 million for the construction of 130 km of roads. These are all efforts to reduce the negative effects of climate change such the access of rural people to essential services such as work, health and social facilities due to damaged roads. www.rdjconsulting.co.za
Photo Curtesy of: www.unepfi.org
26 JULY, 2019
WHO'S WHO AN INTERVIEW WITH MS. HILJA EELU
This
month, the RDJ’s WHO'S WHO segment features Ms. Hilja Eelu from the African Pathfinder Leaders Initiative - APLI Namibia.
Q: At such a young age you have been involved in a wide range of youth activities, what motivates you? My motivation stems from my strong sense of responsibility which pushes me to examine problems facing the youth today and looking at tangible solutions. I believe Namibia and Africa in general is faced with a lot of challenges and my opinion is that we should all choose one of each of these challenges to tackle, so I am just trying to solve one problem at a time. Q: What is APLI? How did it originate and what are its objectives? APLI was launched officially in September last year (2018). It is a non-profit youth initiative. The Initiative is created on the basis that young Namibians lack the necessary skills, resources and networks to fully realize their goals and create sustainable change in their communities. There are a lot of opportunities for the youth in the world but there very few that are based in our local context, so APLI is trying to make those opportunities accessible for the local youth. We train young people in a very intentional way to become active members of society and how to serve in positions of leadership, entrepreneurship and community development that allow them to enact positive change on the trajectory of their lives and that of others around them. Q: When and how did you get involved with APLI? I first became involved in the initiative through its Executive Director, Mr. Sem Uutoni, who approached me with the initiative. By the time, I was already mentoring people and was thinking of a way to formalize my contributions to fellow youth, and APLI just provided me with the platform for that. That’s how I came on board as the director of Programs.
Ms. Hilja Eelu is a twenty-four-year-old (24) year-old youth leader from Elim in Uukwambi, currently employed at the University of Namibia Hage Geingob Campus as Assistant lecturer. She Hilja holds an impressive educational background with a BSc. in Human Genetics, and a BSc. (Hon.) in Molecular Cell Biology. In addition, she also holds a Post-Graduate Diploma in Health Professional’s Education, and is currently pursuing an MSc. We explore the motivations and actions of this inspirational youth. Q: What made you venture into the science field? My mom is a nurse. I also wanted to become a nurse but she encouraged me against it, so I opted for a Doctor, but then I thought...Doctors don’t have much time on their hands. I finally chose to be a Scientist and as I was exposed to all the different Photo Credit: www.unepfi.org Sciences in the first year of my studies, I found Genetics and Biochemistry to be the most interesting field.
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JULY, 2019 27 Q: What are some of the projects that APLI has developed, and their outcomes? APLI has since launched their Fellowship Programme which hosts 20 fellows, being our inaugural fellows’ cohort. We are very pleased to have them as they are very proactive and diverse within their own projects in various communities. We launched our first Residential Programme in January 2019, and have held the second in Keetmanshoop. Q: What major challenges has APLI experience so far Some the challenges APLI faces are time management. Managing and balancing the time to be effective mentors and being employed full time is a great obstacle. Another challenge is funding, as initiatives like this always require constant finance to run. Q: What are APLI’s Plans for the future? In the long term, APLI aims to launch two more programmes: the Foundation program, aimed at developing leadership in high school learners, and secondly the scholars program aimed at changing the life trajectory of young boys in Namibia.
Q: What do you recommend be done to alleviate youth unemployment? With regard to youth unemployment I believe that institutions and private companies need to proactive and offer internships from which graduates could learn work experience. Specifically to the job sector, I would advise youth to make connections, volunteer and request for internships at companies and institutions they wish to work, and build a relationship with the company so that they can vouch for them when a vacancy is advertised. Q: What advice would you offer the youth of Namibia regarding this interview? The youth should be proactive in their respective futures and participate in the country’s direction, especially by voting in the upcoming elections.
"The youth should be proactive in their futures and take part in the country’s direction." Hilja Eelu Q: What benefits does the programme offer? One of the benefits of these programmes is the interaction of likeminded youth, who can share ideas on how to improve their environments as well as learning practical skills such as public speaking, grant writing, financial literacy and other important life skills. Q: Apart from your work with APLI what other youth projects are you involved in? I am still affiliated with Physically Active Youth, an after-school center in Katutura where I used to volunteer but, most of my time currently goes to APLI, my main job at UNAM, and Foster Digital Education which is a startup operating in Marketing, Career Services and Education.
Photo Credit: www.unepfi.org
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"It is never too late to save act in favour of the environment. Adopt a Sustainable Living Lifestlyle today, and save our planet."
JULY, 2019 29
TENDERS Tender Name/Description: Emptying Of Enviro-loo Toilets At Schools In Okongo, Oshikunde, Epembe And Ohakafiya Circuits [eastern Circuits] In Ohangwena Region As Per Price Schedule Town: Ohangwena region Closing Date: 21 August 2019 Company: NamWater Tender Name/Description:Supply And Delivery Of Protective Clothing And Footwear To Namwater For A Period Of Two (2) Years Closing Date: 20 August 2019
Tender Name/Description:provisio of Bush Clearing Of The Grootfontein – Omatako Water Canal Area Town: Grootfontein Closing Date: 20 August 2019
careers Company: Plennegy (Pty) Ltd Job Type: Permanent Career Description: Prospecting for new business by opportunity identification, area and business review, making telephonic contact and cold calling Sectors: Logistics,Sales,Import & Export Closing Date: 7 September 2019 Company: Starke Ayres (Pty) Ltd Career Description:A position has become available for Namibia in our Sales Department based in Northern Namibia (Tsumeb). This role will primarily focus on the promotion and sales of Retail and Commercial products in the area, reporting to the General Manager. Closing Date: 17 August 2019
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UpNext 2019 Public discussion RDJ Consulting will hold a Public Discussion Titled:Â 'The Future of Water in Namibia', at NIPAM Conference Centre on the 19 September 2019 from 6pm 8pm
Plastic Bag Usage Reduction Campaign RDJ Consulting will hold an Environmental Campaign on Saturday, 28th of September, 2019 at Wernhill Shopping Mall
JULY, 2019 31
CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS
Fares Shipaxu (Lead researcher & statistician) RDJ Consulting Services CC Priscila Chilombo Olga (Economist) RDJ Consulting Services CC David Jarrett (Managing Consultant) RDJ Consulting Services CC Kina Indongo (Marketing & Communication Intern) RDJ Consulting Services CC Selma Taapopi (Marketing & Communication Intern) RDJ Consulting Services CC Peter N. Haufiku (Statistics Intern) RDJ Consulting Services CC
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