Omusati faces soil degradation, water shortages
Residents of the Omusati region in Namibia are struggling with severe soil degradation, water scarcity, and loss of livestock due to environmental challenges. A new community project aims to educate local farmers on sustainable land management and rehabilitate local infrastructure.
Why it matters
Addressing land degradation is critical for food security and economic stability in rural African communities facing climate-related challenges.
Land degradation and a lack of nutrients in the soil has been cited as some of the major problems contributing to poor food production in the Omusati region.
This was revealed at a one-day community meeting held at Omiyongo village in the Omusati region, which the Drylands Sustainable Landscapes Impact Project (DSL-IP) has chosen as the centre for a farmers field school (FFS), one of the activities the project plans to establish in the country.
The meeting was attended by residents of Omiyongo village, as well as people from surrounding village such as Amukulungu, Uukulu and Omalyadhila.
Participants were divided into five groups and asked to identify important tree species in their area and what major environmental challenges they face.
Selma Mateus (62) told the meeting that the land in their area is dry and degraded, while they also face water scarcity, soil erosion and a lack of grazing land.
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