1. Youth safeguarding Africas Natural Resources and the Environment: Namibian youth initiatives Hilma Angula Integrated Environmental Consultants Namibia (IECN) The Food Agriculture Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN), Swaziland 19-23 September 2011

2. Importance of Natural resources and the environment We do have to be part of the solutions to environmental problems and not contributors

3. Why involve the youth in safeguarding natural resource Our actions Young energetic and agents of change Potential to make a change Future leaders

4. What the Namibian Youth are doing Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET)/Africa Adaptation Programme (AAP NAM) Design and implement a CCA Youth Action Programme Pilot Projects: Urban gardening and Indigenous Poultry Project High school Multimedia competition Initiated NYCCC MET - Environmental Education Environmental education (EE) centers in Waterberg Plateau Park and Etosha National Park (Natural resources Management Students)

5. Ministry of Youth, National Service, Sport and culture Youth Conservation corps Expose youth to practical conservation work Expose youth to fauna and flora Bird watching / counting Cleaning campaign Tree planting Environmental Youth Clubs National Youth Council (NYC)

6. Mushroom farming Initiative that aim to train youth in mushroom cultivation Create employment and empower the youth Improve living standard of people Ministry is piloting the project, success of the project will lead to replication in different parts of the country

7. What are the challenges? Lack of resources Lack of adequate awareness (information communication and dissemination) Comparing today's youth initiative to the past youth Sustainability (donor funded projects or initiatives)

8. Namib Desert Environmental Education Trust Environmental education center that teaches the community and the youth as well as school learners on how to live sustainably Their main focus is on reducing carbon footprint and to ensure sustainable living

9. What needs to be done? Promote community involvement in the management of natural resources Use natural resources on a sustainable basis and fully consider the ecosystems Promote youth involvement in the management of natural resources and environment Encourage youth empowerment projects Anything done for the youth and not by the youth is not for the youth.

10. The earth is not ours, it is a treasure we owe the future generations! For the youth by the youth because anything done for us and not by us is not ours