Maria David
THE Omusati Region today joined the global community in commemorating the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, with a strong emphasis on restoring degraded land and ensuring its sustainable management for future generations.
This year’s theme is “Restore the Land. Unlock the Opportunities.”
Timoteus Mufeti, Environmental Commissioner, who spoke on behalf of the Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, Indileni Daniel, said a healthy, functional ecosystem is not a luxury but the fundamental foundation of a thriving society.
According to Daniel, they are committed to achieving their land degradation neutrality targets, further contributing to the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Target 15.3.
She said that Namibia’s robust land degradation neutrality targets are ambitious, aiming to reforest 1,380 hectares and improve forest productivity; enhance the productivity of savanna and cropland; reduce bush encroachment on an extensive 1.9 million hectares; and maintain current soil organic carbon levels beyond 2040.
“I call on us all to take necessary actions to heal degraded ecosystems and bring them back to health and productivity,” she said.
She added that the Omusati and Kunene regions have indeed experienced the harsh realities of prolonged dry spells, affecting livelihoods and displacing communities.
Speaking at the same occasion, Omusati Governor Erginus Endjala indicated that Omusati, with its semi-arid climate, high temperatures, and rapidly growing population, stands at the frontline of the climate crisis.
“The challenges we face—land degradation, droughts, and desertification—are not distant problems. They are here, affecting our farmers, our water sources, and our livelihoods, all attributed to the effects of climate change and its many manifestations, including high rainfall and sometimes severe droughts and storms,” he said.
He added that by restoring the land, they are not merely healing the soil; they are unlocking new doors of opportunity for sustainable agriculture that nourishes their people without exhausting the soil.
Endjala then reminded his constituents that restoring land is not the task of one sector only, or of government only, or of one generation only.
He stressed that it requires all Namibians—from policymakers to pastoralists, from schoolchildren to traditional leaders—all working together, rooted in knowledge, inspired by hope, and driven by urgency.
