As sub-Saharan Africa's population is projected to double by 2050, it is crucial to conserve wild landscapes. With a focus on Namibia, this study examined the role of trophy hunting in providing economic incentives for rural communities to engage in conservation efforts. Trophy hunting, a form of recreational ecosystem service, offers socio-economic benefits to communities in exchange for their conservation efforts. The research aimed to understand the extent of community value capture and economic leakage in the trophy hunting industry. It outlined that communities benefit from the industry mainly through benefits, rather than direct income, with community institutions playing a key role in distributing value. However, there is room for increased community integration, hindered by barriers such as limited marketing and business skills. Further research is needed to comprehensively assess trophy hunting's effectiveness as a payment for ecosystem services (PES) scheme.
