www.assar.uct.ac.za

This work was carried out under the Adaptation at Scale in Semi-Arid Regions project (ASSAR). ASSAR is one of five research programmes funded under the Collaborative Adaptation Research Initiative in Africa and Asia (CARIAA), with financial support from the UK Government’s Department for International Development (DfID) and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada. The views expressed in this work are those of the creators and do

not necessarily represent those of DfID and IDRC or its Board of Governors.

For more information, please contact Julia Davies | Senior Research Assistant | ASSAR-UCT | African Climate and Development Initiative | University of Cape Town | julia.davies@uct.ac.za / (+27) (021) 650 5598

Part of the CARIAA programme:

Insights from Namibia

What did we find?

In Namibia, strong religious beliefs and traditional values have prevented some farmers from taking steps to become more climate resilient. However, because these value systems play such a pivotal role in agricultural decision-making, they should be seen as a key opportunity through which to promote the dissemination and uptake of climate change information in general, and CSA in particular. This could be achieved by:

In this way, religion and tradition could help to reduce the impacts of climate variability and change on the agricultural sector in Namibia.

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Religious faith can be a barrier

to the use of scientific climate forecasts because some people believe that rainfall, temperature and crop productivity cannot be predicted but are solely dependent on the will of God. This makes people more vulnerable to climate variability and change as they simply accept their circumstances rather than using forecasts to inform their practices. Some people also believe that any anomalies in climate are punishment from God for wrongdoing.

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While traditionalknowledge has

proven valuable, it is also becoming less reliable due to climate change and less useful due to other pressures like population growth and land degradation. A strict adherence to traditional knowledge and practices can thus increase farmer’s vulnerability as it prevents the use of seasonal climate forecasts, hinders the uptake of new farming technologies (including new crops or cultivars) and makes people less likely to adopt novel, climate-smart ways of farming.

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In Namibia, cattle are perceived as a

measure of affluence, status, prestige and security. The cultural identity of Ovambo men is also closely tied to the ownership of livestock. These strong cultural attachments make farmers reluctant to sell stock, even when forecasts call for severe drought and they are at risk of losing their investment. As such, the symbolic significance of livestock can make farmers more vulnerable to climate change.

The five-year ASSAR project (Adaptation at

Scale in Semi-Arid Regions, 2014-2018) uses

insights from multi-scale, interdisciplinary

work to inform and transform climate

adaptation policy and practice in ways that

promote the long-term wellbeing of the most

vulnerable and those with the least agency.

▪ Use of climate forecasts in planning agricultural practices

▪ Sale of livestock when drought conditions are predicted

▪ Uptake of novel or alternative agricultural practices

“We will keep farming the same way because in the Oshiwamboculture we don’t like to change tradition” (Farmer 16)

“We haven’t changed the crops that we grow. We don’t change them at all even if it is

dry or there is good rainfall” (Farmer 15)

“Maybe God is angry because of the things people are doing—that is why we are not getting enough rainfall” (Farmer 3)

“As a man you should own livestock. One of the definitions of a man is having livestock (Farmer 9)

“I believe that livestock is a part of our culture and by owning them, I am definitely better than someone who doesn’t have them. If I sell my cows I feel like I am cheating on my culture” (Farmer 7)

“Mahangu is our main meal, so there is no way we can change it” (Farmer 18)

“Only God knows what is in the future” (Farmer 2)

“I cannot tell if the drought is going to worsen or not—that is God's work” (Farmer 1)

“I believe that cows help to bail me out of my problems —that's why

I will continue to keep them” (Farmer 6)

What is this study about?

Adaptation practitioners should work with, rather than against, religious and traditional value systems in order to catalyse the uptake of CSA.

Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) can increase the resilience of farming communities in Namibia, who are vulnerable to climate change and variability. Although some farmers have adopted CSA practices, others have been slower to make this transition. Our study shows that religious and traditional value systems play a key role in decision-making for some farmers, and may prevent the:

▪ An integrated approach to implementing agricultural development policies, plans &

programmes▪ A set of principles that emphasize the use of

ecologically-sound farming practices and technologies that are also socially appropriate

▪ An approach to farming that aims to improve food security, livelihoods, and resilience under

the realities of climate change and realize mitigation co-benefits where possible

What is CSA?

Omusati Region is

ASSAR’s main study site in Namibia. For this study, interviews were conducted in 3 villages in the Onesi Constituency

Namibia & Botswana are

ASSAR’s southern Africa study site countries

Windhoek, in the

Khomas Region, is Namibia’s capital city

Poster prepared by: Julia DaviesResearch conducted by: Julia Davies, Dian Spear, Angela Chappel, Nivedita Joshi, Cecil Togarepi and Irene Kunamwene.

Looking to the future

NOTE: Our findings are not universal to all farmers in northern Namibia! Rather, the degree to which religion and tradition play a role in agricultural decision making depends on factors such as personal belief system and age, whereby people with strong Christian beliefs and older, more traditional farmers are less likely to be open to innovation.

▪ Positioning religious and traditional leaders as climate change champions

▪ Integrating scientific information with traditional knowledge

▪ Framing CSA in such a way that it does not conflict with religious beliefs or traditional practices (e.g.: from an economic perspective)

What did we do, and where? We conducted semi-

structured interviews with 60 farmers in the semi-arid, north-central region of Namibia in July 2017. Interviews were conducted in Okathitukeengombe, Oshihau and Omaenene Villages in the OnesiConstituency of the Omusati Region.

Climate change and vulnerability Namibia’s climate

is becoming hotter and drier, with more frequent and intense droughts and floods and more variable seasonal rainfall patterns. Small-scale and subsistence farmers are most vulnerable to climate-related impacts as they typically do not have the resources, knowledge, opportunity or support to adapt effectively.