Community-Based Conservation For Sustainability 

One of the pioneers of the Communal Conservancy Program in Namibia, Dr. Margaret Jacobsohn is no stranger to the MYD show. 

This time around, she joins us to talk about Namibian conservation and her memoir, ‘Life Is Like A Kudu Horn’.

MYD: What motivated you to write this book?

I think my belief and passion for community action, because I believe it’s the only thing that can change the world and that we need it very badly at the moment.

MYD: Your book explains conservation in a way that is so accessible to understand why communities are important in the conservation story.

Well as I said in the book I think the future of Africa’s wildlife rests in the hands of ordinary Africans, politicians will follow and I wish the social media would understand that, that are not doing us any favours very often by trying to protect one animal when people are losing stock and suffering in a drought.

MYD: What would you say was the most valuable personal learning that occurred for you in writing this book?

I think as a pale skinned African having grown up in South Africa, so I hadn’t yet become a Namibian, to have the amazing privilege of living in a rural society and being able to catch glimpses of other people’s ways and beings in the world and just have a completely different perspective, what a privilege.

MYD: Lets talk for a moment about ancient knowledge and how we are also keeping alive the possibility of holding onto some of this wisdom.

And you know I really hope that the younger generation is, is open to learning from older people because this has never been more necessary or even ten years ago we weren’t as conscious of the change, the changes that are happening on our planet, that we’ve destroyed something like sixty per cent of the biomass on our planet and that we are really in crisis, and of course it’s humans that are in crisis.

MYD:Where can people get their hands on a copy of ‘Life Is Like A Kudu Horn’?

It’s on sale in all the bookstores in Windhoek and Swakopmund. 

MYD: What is your hope for Namibian and African conservation?

That people and wildlife thrive together.

https://soundcloud.com/user-654075176/myd-earth-with-margaret-jacobsohn