Namibia is the driest country south of the Sahara. Therefore water and wetlands are a critical resource for the people, their production systems and for the environment. Water quality and quantity is dependent on the successful functioning of wetland systems. The successful functioning of wetlands is itself dependent on the interactions of the wealth of plants, animals, micro-organisms and abiotic components, and the way in which people interact with them. The importance of wetlands is amplified in Namibia, a generally arid country with very little surface water. Evaporation rates are usually much higher than rainfall in most areas and therefore rivers, lakes and other wetlands are rare.