The Namibia Project
In Namibia, encroaching bushes degrade the land and must be cut to allow the regeneration of the savanna. Biochar is produced with some biomass, but not all is technically suitable. We empower the local community by buying their surplus biomass for our project.
The problem of bush thickening
Namibia is affected by bush encroachment on a massive scale. The phenomenon currently affects up to 30 million hectares of farmland in 9 of the country’s 14 regions. That amounts to roughly 30% of Namibia’s land area, significantly affecting farmland, biodiversity, and groundwater recharge. De-bushing projects were researched and implemented by a collaboration between Namibia's Ministry of Agriculture and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.
How does harvesting biomass benefit the ecosystem and local economy in Namibia?
Despite the negative impacts, the encroacher bush has developed into a huge biomass resource, estimated at about 200 to 300 million tonnes.
​
For savannah restoration, larger bushes should be retained, while harvesting thinner bushes that are typically not well suited for charcoal production. The presence of large bushes, representing a structured savannah, will result in a more stable ecosystem. Benefits include soil enrichment and increased stability as large bushes may suppress the establishment and development of woody seedlings under their canopies and in their close proximity.
​
Measures used to combat bush encroachment create positive opportunities for the Namibian economy. De-bushing combined with Carbonsate's biomass storage offers the potential to increase agricultural productivity, economic growth, employment and energy security, without competing with food production.