Bush Control and Biomass Utilisation (Namíbia)

Public and private stakeholders in Namibia are cooperating in the national Bush Control and Biomass Utilisation programme. There are three components: (1) Creation of an enabling framework, (2) Advisory Services and (3) Value Chain Development.

Namibia is affected by bush encroachment on a massive scale: it affects some 45 million hectares in 9 of the 14 regions. Bush encroachment has lowered the carrying capacity of rangeland by up to two thirds. It further severely reduces biodiversity and limits the recharge of groundwater.
Various factors contribute to the acceleration of bush encroachment. A primary cause is overgrazing: the grass layer loses its competitive advantage and greater infiltration of water and nutrients into the sub-soil results, benefiting bush and tree species. Other factors are the reduction in the frequency of wildfires, and the exclusion of wildlife browsers through fencing for livestock.
The “state-and-transition model” describes how savannah ecosystems are event-driven, where rainfall variation impacts on vegetation growth and its composition. Woody plants establish themselves after dry periods followed by a few wet years, and then maintain themselves by utilizing most of the water. But a savannah can be changed back to its grass-dominated state by management or favorable environmental conditions.
Bush encroachment is accompanied by the loss of perennial grasses, which are replaced by annuals of inferior quality and productivity – thus livestock production becomes precarious and less sustainable.
Despite its negative impacts, the encroaching bush has developed into a huge surplus biomass resource, estimated at about 200 to 300 million tonnes. Measures used to combat bush encroachment create positive opportunities for the Namibian economy, such as the use of the resource for power generation and value chain development in other sectors.
Bush harvesting therefore offers the potential to increase economic growth, employment and energy security, while benefiting agriculture and food production.
In line with national development plans, which promote domestic value addition for local resources, the approach strengthens the restoration of productive rangeland. It triggers and drives large-scale bush thinning activities.
The programme will foster institutional development in the biomass sector and provide support to improve the legal and regulatory framework for the upscaling of bush control. It has three components:
(1) Creation of an enabling framework: harmonization of sector policies and improvement of relevant regulations; strengthening of institutional capacities.
(2) Advisory Services: strengthening of existing farmer outreach services and knowledge dissemination to farmers, businesses and public sector decision makers.
(3) Value Chain Development: identification and piloting of relevant value chains for encroacher bush as a trigger for bush control.
It is implemented through a collaboration of public and private stakeholders. Coordination is ensured through a cross-sector steering committee, which includes the Ministries of National Planning (chair), Agriculture, Environment, Energy, and Industrialisation.
Key outputs of the programme include:
Enabling Environment:
- Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)
- Introduction of Harvesting Authorisations Guidelines
- Development of dedicated financial products (loan subsidy schemes).
Institutions:
- Introduction of the De-bushing Advisory Service (DAS)
- Introduction of the Namibia Biomass Industry Group (N-BiG)
- Re-organisation of the Namibia Charcoal Association (NCA).
Knowledge:
- Compilation of baseline data on bush encroachment and bush control
- Technical know-how on value chain technologies and concepts
- Compilation of relevant regulations and environmental principles.
Value Chain Development:
- Piloting of various value chains, including modernized charcoal production, bush based animal feed and household cooking fuel.