
Drought-stricken areas of the US are not the only places dealing with increased erosion. Parts of Namibia, on the southwest coast of Africa, are facing desertification at increasing rates; as much as 85% of the land is affected. Namibia declared a national drought emergency in 2013.
The geography of the country—located at the conjunction of the Namib Desert along the coast and the Kalahari Desert—is challenging, and Namibia receives less rainfall than any other sub-Saharan country. Agriculture and raising herd animals are a large part of the country’s economy, along with mining and tourism, and most parts of the country depend on pumped groundwater.
Drought-stricken areas of the US are not the only places dealing with increased erosion. Parts of Namibia, on the southwest coast of Africa, are facing desertification at increasing rates; as much as 85% of the land is affected. Namibia declared a national drought emergency in 2013.
The geography of the country—located at the conjunction of the Namib Desert along the coast and the Kalahari Desert—is challenging, and Namibia receives less rainfall than any other sub-Saharan country. Agriculture and raising herd animals are a large part of the country’s economy, along with mining and tourism, and most parts of the country depend on pumped groundwater.
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Speaking at a recent conference, environmentalist Axel Rothauge noted that as people stop migrating and settle in one place—along with their livestock—overgrazing becomes a serious threat. The land first becomes less fertile, with severe economic repercussions, then begins to experience erosion. He believes that if rehabilitation efforts begin early enough, the land can be reclaimed within a couple of decades, but if the topsoil is lost, “desertification is practically irreversible human time spans.”
Rotational grazing is one solution. A project is underway in the Namibian region of Kunene to quantify soil erosion and to contain it by growing more drought-tolerant plants that will provide fodder for livestock.
Speaking at a recent conference, environmentalist Axel Rothauge noted that as people stop migrating and settle in one place—along with their livestock—overgrazing becomes a serious threat. The land first becomes less fertile, with severe economic repercussions, then begins to experience erosion. He believes that if rehabilitation efforts begin early enough, the land can be reclaimed within a couple of decades, but if the topsoil is lost, “desertification is practically irreversible human time spans.”
Rotational grazing is one solution. A project is underway in the Namibian region of Kunene to quantify soil erosion and to contain it by growing more drought-tolerant plants that will provide fodder for livestock.
Janice Kaspersen
Janice Kaspersen is the former editor of Erosion Control and Stormwater magazines.