🇬🇧 Chapter 3 – Agriculture in Namibia
Namibia is one of the driest countries in Africa and is regularly affected by droughts. Rainfall decreases significantly from the north-east towards the south-west of the country. As a result, water scarcity remains one of the most important factors influencing agriculture, settlement patterns and economic development.
Crop farming is generally only viable in areas receiving more than approximately 500 mm of annual rainfall. Across much of Namibia, however, rainfall is considerably lower. Harvests are therefore uncertain and highly dependent on seasonal rainfall. In some regions, crops can only be grown successfully during exceptionally good rainy years.
Under these conditions, land use traditionally focused on sheep farming, cattle farming and, later, wildlife management. Yet even these activities depend heavily on water availability. Because rainfall is limited, large grazing areas are required to ensure sufficient forage throughout the year.
Before the colonial period, water was mainly obtained from shallow wells along riverbeds, where groundwater was closer to the surface. This changed fundamentally with the introduction of modern drilling technology during the German colonial era. Deep boreholes could now be drilled, providing access to underground aquifers and making water available in previously inaccessible areas.
The search for suitable drilling locations was often assisted by dowsers, commonly known as water diviners. Although the scientific explanation remains debated, many farm boreholes throughout Namibia were originally located in this way.
The introduction of deep boreholes represented a major breakthrough for Namibian agriculture. For the first time, large parts of the country could be utilised on a permanent basis. People and livestock gained access to more reliable water supplies, and farms were established in areas that had previously been difficult to occupy year-round.
However, this solved only part of the challenge. While water became more readily available, farm incomes remained heavily dependent on rainfall. When rains failed, grazing disappeared—and with it often the economic foundation of many farming operations.
It was from these circumstances that new forms of land use eventually emerged, including hunting and guest farms, which provided additional sources of income beyond traditional cattle farming alone.