Drylands in Africa under discussion

Sustainable development in drylands on the continent will come under scrutiny during the third Africa Drylands’ Week conference in Windhoek this week.
Farmers, women and youth representatives, scientists, policy as well as decision makers have gathered for the conference, which is being held under the banner of the African Union (AU).
Apart from looking at sustainable development, the five-day conference will also address the impacts of drought, youth emigration from the continent, and impacts of these and other dryland factors on peace and stability in individual countries and in Africa at large.
Drylands refer to arid areas or regions with low rainfall.
Speaking at the event on Monday, the Minister of Environment and Tourism, Mr Pohamba Shifeta, expressed concern that African countries continue to experience loss of arable land and soil fertility at rates far beyond historical levels.
He said Namibia is no exception to these trends.
“There are worrying reports of the decreasing fertility of our crop-growing areas in the northern parts of the country, where over 60 per cent of the population resides. Bush encroachment has severely reduced the productivity of our livestock sector and affects some 26 million hectares of our pastoral land. It is responsible for an estimated N$855 million in annual losses to our beef industry,” he warned.
Severe cases of drought have become increasingly frequent, with Namibia experiencing its most severe drought for over 30 years.
The drought has been declared an emergency, both nationally and regionally.
Shifeta said this situation requires forward looking policies and pro-active management measures to adapt to ever harsher environmental conditions.
Delegates will amongst others discuss making drylands resilient to climate change; upscaling investment opportunities in drylands; and innovative natural resource management models in the drylands.
They will also discuss lessons learned and experiences in building resilience to land degradation and managing the impacts of drought; as well as strengthen synergies in the implementation of the Great Green Wall for the Sahara and the Sahel Initiative (GGWSSI).
The Great Green Wall is aimed at restoring the productivity and vitality of the Sahel region.
Spanning the entire width of the Africa continent from Senegal to Djibouti, the “wall” consists of various projects implemented by countries in the region with the support of development partners.
African Drylands’ Week has focused on the Sahara and Sahel regions of Africa since its inception in 2011.
This is the first time Namibia hosts the conference which ends tomorrow. 
- Nampa