A community engagement took place from the 20th to the 22nd of February 2019 in Okapare village, Epupa conservancy, northern Kunene. The workshop was opened by the host, Chief Muniovimuaha Muniombara, and attended by about 50 persons. The Chief welcomed the Angolan delegation consisting of the administrator of Iona Mr. Aristides António Tumbo, the chief of the Ovahimba in Iona Mr. Tchiquenga Hepute, together with six Iona community members.

The multi-disciplinary SCIONA team engaged local knowledge holders in a number of sub activities. We jointly explored the potential of ethnobotanic walks in co-designing supporting technologies. A participatory resource mapping exercise was successfully carried out. The community was engaged in a focus group discussion on livelihoods and social capital to explore livelihood opportunities. We identified practiced rangeland management strategies and studied grazing rotations within the Epupa Conservancy. Other activities included exploration of indigenous prediction systems (goat intestine readings) and a medical readiness assessment of the game rangers.

We would like to thank the Namibian Government for facilitating the crossing of the Angolan delegation to and from Namibia.