Rangeland degradation hits decade low - report

Seasonal plant productivity, calculated as the average plant activity from October to May, was far below the long-term average during the 2023–2024 season and lower than any of the previous 10 seasons.This is according to the latest State of the Rangelands report by agri-ecologist Dr Cornelis van der Waal."Although also severe, the 2018–2019 season was not as poor as the current 2023–2024 season. The only areas that had reasonable plant growth during the 2023–2024 season include areas in the south-west and far north-west of Namibia, with a few scattered places in central and northern Namibia," he reported."Generally, plant growth was far below normal. Despite some areas experiencing above-average plant growth during December and January, most regions in Namibia end up with below-normal growing conditions for the season."Exceptions include the far south-west //Karas and north-eastern Kunene, which showed better results. Moreover, some areas in the Omaheke Region also recovered somewhat during May."The worst affected areas appear to be central Hardap and western parts of the Kunene and Erongo regions, as well as large parts of the //Karas Region, where all months were below average," the report stated.New strategiesAccording to the Namibian Chamber of the Environment (NCE), the overview of the rangeland status for the current rainy season presents a sobering picture, warning that this season&#039;s drought may be even worse than the drought of 2018–19."Given the current climate predictions, droughts like this one are going to be more frequent than ever. Namibia cannot just rely on drought relief or response," the NCE stressed."We need to think ahead, develop new livelihoods and fast-track adaptation options that show some promise. Adapting to climate change should be the key focus of our climate-related policies," the organisation underlined. - francoise@nmh.com.na

Rangeland degradation hits decade low - report

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