Effective management of Namibia's natural and human resources is critical to the nations' strategic growth and long-term competitiveness. In 1998, the Namibian Government adopted Vision 2030 as its roadmap for a brighter future (Office of the President 2004). Vision 2030 is intended to guide the country's five year development plans from National Development Plan (NDP) III to VII and to provide direction to government ministries, private sector, NGOs and local authorities. A key National Development Plan goal is "Poverty alleviation through enhanced natural resource management". The Vision 2030 process reconfirms this goal and defines the overall perspective for the natural resource sector as follows: Namibia shall develop its natural capital for the benefit of its social, economic and ecological well-being, by adopting strategies that: a) promote the sustainable, equitable and efficient use of natural resources; b) maximise Namibia’s comparative advantages; and c) reduce all inappropriate resource-use practices.