Nature-Based Solutions Inventory for Namibia
This inventory showcases the variety of nature-based solutions (NbS) projects that have been completed recently or are currently under implementation in Namibia. It provides information on the approach taken by these projects, the climate and biodiversity risks they address, the intended beneficiaries, and the ecosystems they target.
Key Findings
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Community-based natural resource management is a cornerstone of NbS in Namibia; it empowers local communities to manage and benefit from natural resources sustainably.
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Nearly all projects fuse biodiversity conservation with climate adaptation, and most are anchored in multifunctional objectives, combining dryland restoration, sustainable agriculture, and livelihood diversification.
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Gender equality and social inclusion are addressed explicitly by some projects.
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Capacity building is embedded as a strategic pillar, often through local institutions and self-help groups, and reflected in training on ecosystem-based adaptation principles, climate-smart agriculture, governance, and market linkages.
Namibia is among the most climate-vulnerable countries in sub-Saharan Africa because of its predominantly arid and semi-arid climate, limited rainfall, and high dependence on climate-sensitive natural resources. These conditions are not the only risks: recurrent droughts, rainfall variability, rising temperatures, water scarcity, desertification, and land degradation are already affecting the natural resource base on which agriculture in Namibia, livestock production, biodiversity conservation, tourism, and rural livelihoods depend. These pressures are intensified by the fact that only a small share of Namibia’s rainfall remains available to recharge groundwater, support agriculture, or sustain vegetation. Droughts and shifts in rainfall do not only reduce water availability, but they also affect soil moisture, vegetation cover, rangeland productivity, ecosystem condition, and the natural resource base that supports rural livelihoods.
This is what makes NbS, particularly ecosystem-based adaption, especially important for Namibia. This inventory showcases the variety of NbS projects that have been completed recently or are currently under implementation in Namibia. It highlights the various responses across the country to the climate and biodiversity crises, and efforts to address the increasing risks and vulnerabilities brought about by a changing climate. The inventory’s purpose is to help government officials, adaptation and conservation practitioners, and donors understand the landscape of NbS implementation in the country, pinpoint existing gaps, potential synergies, and collaboration opportunities, and avoid duplication.
Participating experts
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