Namibia And The Bush Encroachment Phenomenon

Bush encroachment on rangeland is causing massive economic and ecological damage in Namibia. It affects 30 to 45 million hectares, which is more than 30 per cent of Namibia’s land area. The most significant consequences of bush encroachment are reduced carrying capacity of affected rangeland as well as reduced groundwater recharge and biodiversity through habitat loss. Over the past decades, efforts to address bush encroachment included predominantly the use of chemicals on commercial farms with uncertain long-term consequences. Furthermore, the government funds small-scale, labour intensive bush thinning on state-owned farms. In spite of these efforts, the area on which bush encroachment increases each year by far exceeds the area of restored land.

Bush encroachment also provides an opportunity for economic development in Namibia. The accumulated biomass from bush thinning can be gainfully used, making it an economically viable resource for business. Multiple opportunities exist for bush-based value chains, such as firewood, charcoal, animal feed, biochar or wood-plastic composite products, and especially the use of biomass for energy generation.

Despite this economic potential, bush control and bush biomass utilisation efforts are still inadequate in Namibia. High bush thinning costs and low value ascribed to bush products present a significant obstacle to the biomass sector. Furthermore, sufficient infrastructure and efficient technologies are needed to effectively upscale bush thinning operations on both private and state land. Long-term sustainability also requires adequate national coordination, policy guidance and advisory services on sustainable bush thinning and aftercare. Finally, the availability of and access to funding is limited for this underdeveloped industry. Sustainable financing could be motivated by the macro-economic benefits of bush thinning, which include rangeland restoration, rural employment generation, domestic value addition, improved groundwater recharge and renewable energy supply.

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