Title:

Communal rangelands in northern and central Namibia: The grazing and browsing resources and their users

Author(s):
Publication Year:
2011
Abstract:

Namibia is the driest country in sub-Saharan Africa with a mean annual rainfall of 270 mm that shows marked regional variations. Due to the environmental factors of low and unpredictable rainfall, high evapotranspiration rates, and partly poor soil fertility, the land in most areas of Namibia is suitable only for natural grassland production. Thus, pastoral livestock production is the predominant agricultural system in Namibia, while a mixed system with mainly millet cropping, is found in the north. Approximately 44% of the total land continues to be held under freehold title, commonly referred to as the commercial farming sector (Werner, 2003), which is dominated by white landowners (RoN, 1991), in (Werner, 2003). The non-freehold areas, referred to today as the communal areas, comprise about 41% of the total land area. The remaining 15% are state land (Sweet & Burke, 2000). The communal sector operates subsistence oriented to a large extent, and directly supports 95% of the nation's farming population (Kruger & Woehl, 1996). Namibia shows a high plant biodiversity (Ashley, 1996; Barnard & Namibian National Biodiversity Task Force, 1998; Maggs et al., 1998), which seems to be endangered by land use, and could eventually result in an irreversible degradation of landscapes.

Publisher:
Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen
Type:
PhD
Item Type:
Thesis
Language:
en