Large parts of rangelands respond positively to rain
Plant productivity in large parts of Namibia has responded to the widespread rains received and is currently average to above-average compared to the long-term baseline situation.This according to ecologist Cornelis van der Waal, who in the ‘State of the Namibian Rangeland’ report for December said exceptions, however, include large parts of the Omaheke Region and eastern parts of Otjozondjupa, where it remains mostly dry.
“As this is still the start of the rainy season in the summer rainfall areas, anything is still possible.”
Van der Waal said that many parts of Namibia have greened up over the last month.
“Areas with a greening trend include large parts of Erongo, Hardap and Khomas, as well as parts of Kunene, Kavango East, Oshikoto, Zambezi and southern Omaheke.”
He said the far western parts of Karas are still above-average.
However, according to Van der Waal, northern Omaheke and eastern Otjozondjupa are currently the worst off, with below-average plant growth.
“Parts of central Kunene and western parts of Kavango West and Ohangwena are also still dry.”
Livestock production
Livestock production in Namibia is almost entirely dependent on the productivity of its rangelands, which may plummet to near zero during severe droughts, he said.
“Rainfall variability results in severe management challenges for livestock farmers who need to balance animal forage requirements with the forage produced, as well as preventing land degradation.”
Van der Waal said monitoring rangeland is important because the information can reveal which parts of the country are likely to be the most affected by drought towards the end of the dry season, which allows sufficient time to plan relief efforts.
The ecologist said the key component of the early warning system is based on freely available remote sensing technology that measures active vegetation growth across Namibia in near real-time. Comparing current vegetation activity patterns with the 10-year average for the same area during the same time of year provides an objective view of the rangeland status, he said.