Desertification has been identified as a major threat for the Namibian population as a whole and has led to the establishment of the National Programme to Combat Desertification (NAPCOD). NAPCOD represents one cross-sectoral component of the strategy to operationalise the Green Plan, which gave rise to the Programme. The Green Plan recognises that poverty, population growth and desertification are intimately linked. With a population growth of approximately 3%, the pressure on and subsequent degradation of natural resources will increase - which will inevitably lead to worsening poverty. External inputs are, therefore, of crucial importance to break this vicious cycle.