August 2025: New paper on how rangeland degradation in Namibia’s communal areas can be addressed

Dr. Diego A. Menestrey Schwieger's paper examines how a split grazing system can be effectively implemented to disrupt the continuous grazing patterns that lead to overgrazing and land degradation in communal grazing areas. His research incorporates insights from local pastoralists on how this system, combined with reseeding practices, can be applied to restore rangelands at the village level. The paper emphasizes the main challenges of applying these measures and presents practical solutions for overcoming them, drawing on pastoralists’ experiences and capabilities.

The preliminary findings of this research were shared and discussed at the NamTip stakeholder workshop in June 2025, which was attended by community members from the three case study villages (Fig. 1). Participants were highly enthusiastic about implementing the proposed strategies, and members of the NamTip team are now developing a proposal to pilot them and monitor their social and ecological implications in close collaboration with local residents.

The full paper, which was published in the journal Human Organization, can be found here.