Hunting industry creates more than 16 000 jobs

Given Namibia's economic growth in recent years, it is estimated that the hunting industry will create more than 16 000 jobs this year, according to a professional hunting association.

The Namibia Professional Hunting Association (Napha) noted in a recent newsletter that this growth reflects the importance of hunting as a key economic activity in the country.

With a dependency rate of 90%, it is estimated that around 30 600 people are directly affected by the hunting industry.

Napha added that Namibia is home to approximately 300 hunting farms and 600 registered hunting guides.

These include hunting guides, master hunting guides, professional hunters and big game professional hunters.

It said that a report published in 2015 highlighted the substantial economic contributions of trophy hunting in Namibia, estimating that this activity alone generated N$350 million annually on Namibia farmlands.

“According to the survey conducted among farmland owners, approximately 69.3% of those who permit hunting on their land rely exclusively on the income generated from this activity.”

The remaining landowners depend on both wildlife- and livestock-based income streams.

Napha said farms that combine cattle and wildlife operations employ twice as many people as those focused on cattle farming.

Critical role

The environment ministry reported in 2015 that the hunting industry in Namibia was responsible for creating 15 000 jobs that year, according to Napha.

These jobs were spread across communal private lands as well as within supporting industries such as taxidermy.

It said this figure underscores the critical role that the hunting industry plays in providing employment opportunities in rural areas.

Napha added that while it is difficult to provide an exact population figure for the 55 active hunting conservancies in Namibia, it is evident that the communities within these conservancies are heavily reliant on the meat and financial support provided by trophy hunting.

Boost to tourism

Napha said the benefits of the hunting industry extend beyond the direct economic impact, as hunters often visit Namibia with family and friends.

“This tourism not only supports the country’s commercial tourism sector, including guesthouses, lodges, and restaurants, but also contributes to the employment of workers in these areas.”

It said while Namibia hosts only about 3 200 trophy hunters per year, according to 2022 statistics, “this relatively small number, the impact of each trophy hunter is profound, as each visitor fully pays for the livelihoods of more than nine Namibians.”

Napha said that this underscores the broader economic and social benefits of the hunting industry, which plays a vital role in supporting communities and conserving Namibia’s wildlife heritage.