WINDHOEK, June 17 — Namibia has called for greater financial support from both public and private sectors to scale up efforts to restore degraded land and mitigate the mounting impacts of desertification and drought, a senior government official said Tuesday.
Speaking at the national commemoration of the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought 2025, Namibia’s Minister of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism Indileni Daniel stressed the urgent need for substantial investment to expand restoration programs across the country.
“While the benefits of restoration far outweigh the costs, initial investments in the magnitude of billions are needed,” the minister said.
“We need to unlock new sources of finance, create decent land-based jobs, and fast-track innovations while making the most of traditional knowledge.”
According to Daniel, Namibia has set ambitious targets under its Land Degradation Neutrality program, including reforesting 1,380 hectares, improving the productivity of savannas and croplands, reducing bush encroachment on 1.9 million hectares, and maintaining soil organic carbon levels beyond 2040.
The government views these efforts as critical to ensuring food security, protecting biodiversity, and building resilience against the effects of climate change, she said.
Daniel also confirmed Namibia’s participation in the African Great Green Wall Initiative and the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative which together aim to restore over 105 million hectares of land across Southern Africa by 2030.
Through these programs, Namibia hopes to mobilize additional funding for sustainable land use, agroforestry, and ecosystem restoration projects.
Namibia, a party to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification since 1997, continues to integrate its commitments into national policy and calls for stronger international cooperation to address desertification and drought. (Xinhua)
