Gemsbok bean & Kalahari Truffle Trade Title

The study of the rich flora of the eastern part of Tsumkwe Constituency was embedded in the pilot phase of the Community Forestry Programme in North-eastern Namibia of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism's Directorate of Forestry, which focused mainly on the Kavango and Caprivi Regions with their large forest areas. Since, however, special environmental and social conditions prevail in the Tsumkwe Constituency, considerable attention was also given to the biodiversity in that area, which explains how this book came about. The book should enable the local population, decision-makers, tourists and the public in general to better understand the biodiversity of the region and create an increased awareness of the need to conserve it. Documenting the wisdom and the experience of the indigenous people, it will no doubt contribute to preserving this part of the San people's heritage for future generations. Arno Leffers, the author of the book, is a development worker with the German De­ velopment Service (OED) that cooperates with the Directorate of Forestry in the implementation of the Community Forestry Programme. He lived in Tsumkwe for three years and became very familiar with the San population in the area. His special dedication to these people, which count among the most vulnerable in Namibia, led him to embark on the thorough study of the local plants and their use which is presented in this publication. Although the book is intended mainly for the public in general and the local population in particular, the support of renowned Namibian scientists and publishers has helped to ensure that what is presented here is scientifically sound. We would like to express our sincere thanks to the author for the magnify work he has done with the generous support of the German Government through the Gernan Development Bank (KfW). The significance of this work goes beyond the borders of the eastern part of the Tsumkwe Constituency and will represent an essential input to the Community Forestry Programme in North-Eastern Namibia. The main aim of this programme is to provide appropriate training to the communities in the Kavango and Caprivi Regions as well as the Tsumkwe Constituency with a view to ultimately empowering them to assume responsibility for the utilisation of forest resources, including the non-timber products, under a strict sustainable management regime.