The Kuiseb River is one of 12 major ephemeral rivers that traverse the Namib from east to west. The Kuiseb has a large catchment area (14 700 km2), which extends over the mountainous area of Khomas Hochland, a zone of annual rainfall of about 300 mm per year. The Kuiseb supports a dense riparian vegetation. Tree species such as Acacia albida, Acacia erioloba and Euclea pseudebenus are usually confined to the riverbed. Keywords: Namibia, Namib Desert, Gobabeb, Kuiseb River, arid environment, riverine vegetation, desert vegetation, ephemeral river, pod production, pod quality, pod use, livestock, fodder.