Namibia is home to about 2,000 black rhinos, representing over one-third of the global population and more than 90% of the southwestern subspecies. The Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism (MEFT) recently reported a decline in rhino poaching from 32 incidents in 2020 to just 9 in 2021, highlighting significant strides in combatting wildlife crime. The black rhino population in the northwest Kunene and northern Erongo regions is among the last truly wild populations, surviving on largely unprotected lands. To safeguard these rhinos, the MEFT prioritises engaging local communities in conservation efforts.
What is SMART technology?
Since 2012, the community-based Conservancy Rhino Ranger program in North-West Namibia has significantly enhanced the collection of patrol data by field teams. In 2014, Save The Rhino Trust Namibia (SRT) began exploring technological solutions to maximise this data. They discovered SMART (Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool), a software initially designed for law enforcement that can also monitor wildlife effectively. SRT adopted SMART in 2015, initially focusing on a desktop database, but has since developed a SMART Mobile app to further enhance field data collection.
The way forward
SMART is user-friendly and interactive, enabling rangers to analyse patrol data and monitor threats to wildlife. This technology empowers Conservancy Rhino Rangers to track and protect rhinos from poaching. Together with the Namibia Nature Foundation (NNF), SRT is rolling out a new SMART Mobile training course for rangers, enhancing their ability to gather and manage data in the field. Additionally, the Natural Resource Working Group (NACSO-NRWG) will pilot SMART in conservancies in northeastern Namibia, focusing on fixed-route patrol data collection.
Equipping communal conservancies with SMART technology builds critical capacity among staff and aligns with MEFT’s Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) strategies, ensuring community members have the tools and knowledge to manage wildlife effectively.
About the communal rhino custodian support program
The Communal Rhino Custodian Support Program aims to assist MEFT and Communal Rhino Custodians by providing incentives for more effective rhino patrols. This initiative is implemented by a support group (CRCSG) that includes senior staff from SRT, Integrated Rural Development and Nature Conservation (IRDNC), and NNF. The program fosters community involvement, pride, and sustainable development around rhino conservation.