Living Land

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] 55

Translating policy into action — efforts

to combat desertification, land

degradation and drought in Namibia

Teofilus Nghitila and Bryn Canniffe, Department of Environmental Affairs,

Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Namibia

ssues of desertification, land degradation and drought

are particularly important to Namibia. Known as the

land between two deserts, Namibia is the driest country

in sub-Saharan Africa, with over 90 per cent of its landmass

classified as hyper-arid, arid or semi-arid. Annual rainfall

varies from just 10 mm in the south-west to some 700 mm

in the more tropical north-east. In all parts of the country

rainfall is highly variable and unpredictable.

This situation is expected to worsen under the climate change

scenario with increasing temperatures, an increased number of

drought and flood events and even greater rainfall variability

expected. Namibia already experienced its worst drought in 30

years in 2013 and rainfall is also well below average in 2015,

which is a major threat to water and food security in the country.

In spite of these harsh conditions, almost 70 per cent of the

population relies on agriculture to some extent for their liveli-

hood, while approximately 71 per cent of the land surface is

used for agriculture and mainly livestock farming. This high

level of dependence on the land exists despite the predomi-

nance of infertile soils and harsh climatic conditions.

These factors make the United Nations Convention to

Combat Desertification (UNCCD) highly important for

Namibia, particularly the first two strategic objectives of the

UNCCD 10 Year Strategic Plan — to improve the living condi-

tions of affected populations and to improve the condition of

affected ecosystems. The bottom-up approach of the UNCCD

also resonates with Namibia, which aims to empower commu-

nities, especially women, as these are the custodians and

day-to-day managers of the land and its resources.

Average annual rainfall and average plant production in Namibia

Source: Mendelsohn 2002

100–150

150–200

50–103

Less than 50

Average annual rainfall (mm)

500–550

550–600

More than 600

450–500

400–450

300–350

350–400

250–300

200–250

Low

Medium

Very low

Bare ground, extremely low

Green vegetation biomass

Extremely high

Highest

Very high

High