The bright city lights attract people from rural areas in countries all over the world. Urbanisation is a result of a growing economy that makes cities the hubs of enterprise and new opportunities. Educated young people are especially drawn to cities and towns in pursuit of jobs or the opportunity of starting their own businesses. In contrast, staying in rural areas, on farms or in small villages, is increasingly seen as a dead-end by the new generation. Life on the farm is not for everyone. Furthermore, farming with crops or livestock is already difficult given Namibia’s dry climate and relatively infertile soils, and disturbing climate change predictions indicate that it will become drier still. Urbanisation presents an opportunity to alleviate the pressure on farmlands and provide a way for the country to adapt to climate change. As the country becomes steadily drier, droughts will become more frequent and severe; land that is marginal for farming today will become even less productive, to the point where farming with crops or livestock becomes impossible. If people stay in rural areas their livelihood options will decline further, whereas if they move into urban areas they could explore other employment sectors like manufacturing or the service industry. As a country, switching from reliance on agriculture towards manufacturing or services could buffer Namibia’s economy against climate change. 
To realise the opportunities of urbanisation, however, Namibia must overcome several key social and environmental challenges. The first of these is keeping pollution under control in these ever-growing cities, as the demand for land and housing has outstripped supply. Research published in the Namibian Journal of Environment reveals that during 1991-2011, the number of brick or block houses in urban areas doubled, whilst the number of shacks increased seven-fold. If current rates continue, there will be more shacks than any other form of housing in Namibia by 2025.