Promoting sustainable bush-processing value chains in Namibia

General

Bush encroachment is a serious problem in Namibia, it hampers agricultural productivity and therewith threatens the livelihood of the local population. Currently, 26-30 million hectares of Namibian rangeland are affected by high densities of Acacia bush that grows at the expense of grass. Bush encroachment occurs in many arid regions and is attributed to factors such as the suppression of veld fires, the absence of browsers, overgrazing and poor management of livestock. Furthermore, the land degradation in the form of bush encroachment reduces the carrying capacity for livestock.