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News: 2024

Cows grazing on savanna rangeland

October 2024: Fieldwork on Social-Ecological Tipping Points and Bush Encroachment on Freehold Farms

ISOE MSc students Svea Muche & Marlen Britsch studied the social dimension of tipping points, as well as bush thinning as a rangeland restoration strategy.

Researchers standing in front of a poster under a tent talking to a small audience of seated people

October 2024: NamTip project shares insights at Okaṱupa Farmers Day

Dr. Clara Nesongano (UNAM) engaged with communal farmers on sustainable rangeland management at the Okaṱupa Farmers Information Day.

conference room full of participants during plenary session of Tropentag

September 2024: Poster presentations at the Tropentag 2024 in Vienna

Stefan Liehr and Markus Rauchecker presented preliminary results on social-ecological tipping points and development projects to combat desertification.

Two researchers standing in front of poster with GfÖ conference title in a classroom

September 2024: Presenting at the GfÖ Conference in Freising

PhD students Vistorina Amputu and Lisa-Maricia Schwarz presented recent results on transferability of drone-based models and plant community shifts.

Learner discussing with educators in front of poster

August 2024: Learners present research on desertification at Regional Science Fair

Namibian learners gained hands-on experience in scientific research by presenting their group projects at the Regional Science Fair in Otjozondjupa.

Communal farmers assising in clipping vegetation on a plot in the restoration experiment

August 2024: Restoration experiment - from field to lab!

PhD student Nali Moyo has completed her 2-year data collection in the Okakarara communal farms and is now starting with the laboratory analyses.

Banner for desertification and drought day showing two hands holding each other and a seedling

June 2024: World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought

Germany will host the next Desertification and Drought Day on 17 June 2024 - an event which aims at drawing public attention to the UNCCD.

Hand holding dry plant over dry soil

May 2024: Field research on social-ecological tipping points in communal areas

Dr. Diego Menestrey's field research sheds light on how communal farmers in the Okakarara Constituency perceive and manage desertification tipping points.

Seedling emerging from extremely dry soil

May 2024: Namibian President Declares Drought State of Emergency

Namibian President Nangolo Mbumba has declared a national state of emergency due to the worst drought the country has experienced in 100 years.

Researchers standing in front of plot with herbaceous and woody vegetation and taking measurements in a savanna environment

May 2024: UNAM team completes fieldwork assessing the impact of bush control on vegetation

The UNAM team took two BSc students for data collection towards their final year research projects at a bush control site in communal areas of Namibia.

Schematic representation of a drone flying over a rangeland

May 2024: New paper on drone-based models to predict forage supply

PhD student Vistorina Amputu led a study on the spatial and temporal transferability of drone-based models for predicting forage supply in dry rangelands.

A mixed group of scientists and learners sitting around a table with an open laptop showing slides on water infiltration, notebooks and pencils on the table

April 2024: Collaborative work between scientists and learners

NamTip scientists accompanied school learners during a research camp organized by Eduventures.

Group picture of NamTip researchers holding measuring devices in their hands and with savanna rangeland in the background

March 2024: NamTip researchers complete a successful field campaign in Namibia

NamTip researchers visited the study sites and collected data as part of the main fieldwork campaign of NamTip's second phase.

Group picture showing the NamTip project members and stakeholders

March 2024: Project Kick-Off Meeting in Namibia with local partner and stakeholders

The Kick-Off Meeting of namTip Phase 2 was held in Windhoek, Namibia, with the participation of local project partners and stakeholders

NamTip researchers jointly looking at a map opened on the bonnet of a 4x4 car and in the shade of a tree

Previous News (2023)

News from 2023 can be found here.