Overview of Conservation
Agriculture Activities in Namibia
Unlocking the Potential of Conservation Agriculture
for Inclusive and Equitable Development
Dr Justine Braby, NNF Associate, Nampower Convention Centre, 21
October 2015
A Very Basic Overview of CA in Namibia
General Outline of Report
•General Overview of CA in northern
Namibia
•Brief overview of Climate Change
Programmes in Namibia
•Policies, strategies and programmes
related to CA in Namibia
•CA Initiatives and Activities past and
present
•General gaps and needs identified
from consultations, and
recommendations
CA in northern Namibia – how it has
been practiced here
Generally, conservation agriculture as practiced in Northern Namibia
has the following characteristics:
1. Minimum soil disturbance; using ripper-furrower method, ripperfurrower design (both tractor and animal-drawn) is Namibian; in
areas where the line furrows cannot be drawn due to lack of
implements, the hand-hoe basin method is used;
2. Crop rotation. Cereals like maize are rotated with legumes such as
cowpeas, beans and groundnuts. In Kavango East, the deeprooted indigenous tree Faidherbia albida – fixes nitrogen through
root nodules, sheds leaves in winter, provides wind shelter to
crops
3. Permanent soil cover, through mulching or using plant residue as
cover to support the soil in retaining its moisture and counter
losses from evaporation. This is done to a lesser extent, although
encouraged.
CA in northern Namibia
• Demonstration Plots with
Lead Farmers, generally
quite successful and has
had a knock-on effect
• Through drought farmers
have reported to have a
higher yield (although in
heavy rains, apparently
more prone to flooding)
• Masters and PhD thesis
Ongoing CA Initiatives in Namibia
•
MAWF CA Programme
•
Farmers Clubs with climate-smart agriculture for improved resilience and
livelihoods of small-scale farmers in Kavango (DAPP and NNF; Kavango East and
West regions, Mukwe, Ndiyona, Kapako, Mashare and Kahenge constituencies)
•
Namibia (Specific) Conservation Agriculture Project (NCBA CLUSA, CES and NNFU;
57 constituencies in 8 regions)
•
Namibia Specific Conservation Agriculture Livestock (CAN and Meat Co; Kunene)
•
Strengthening the capacity of farmers to manage climate related risks in
Northern Namibia (FAO and MAWF)
•
Adaptation of Agriculture to Climate Change in Northern Namibia (GIZ and
MAWF)
Ongoing CA Initiatives in Namibia
• Sustainable Management of Namibia’s Forested Lands (NAFOLA) (MAWF
and UNDP; Ohangwena - Okongo, Omudougilo (60 km from Okongo),
Kunene – feasibility first, Omaheke maybe – maize, Omusati 2 sites)
• Scaling up community resilience to climate variability and climate change
in Northern Namibia, with a special focus on women and children
(SCORE) (MET and UNDP; Omusati - Okulongo Constituency, Etayi
Constiuency; Oshana: Okatana Constituency, Okaku Constituency,
Ohangwena - needs to be determined, Oshikoto - Omuthyia, Gwiipundui
Constituency, Kavango East - Kahenge and Mcuncuni Constiuencies,
Kavango West - Mashare Constituency)
• A few proposals in at the Adaptation Fund through DRFN
Gaps and needs identified
• Need for overall coordination
• Need for more awareness and capacity
• More harmonised approaches – integrated
livestock and crop farming
• Support structures from MAWF (already there)
• Need for more monitoring and evaluation
research
• More support to entire value chain
Regional Intervention Needs
• Zambezi: Suggestions by a few - Farmers in Parks have not been
exposed to CA practices and they would really benefit, e.g. also less
land needed for CA.
• Kavango West: Nkurenkuru, on the southwestern banks of the
Kavango River, 140 km west of Rundu was a village identified by
NNF/ DAPP field staff in need of CA intervention.
• Ohangwena: Suggestions by a few that the areas around Eenhana
could still use intervention. Not all farmers within constituencies in
Ohangwena have been covered.
• Generally, stakeholders suggested that the whole of Northern
Namibia needed to be upscaled.
Thank You!