Tropentag, September 16 - 18, 2026, Göttingen "Towards multi-functional agro-ecosystems promoting climate-resilient futures"

Grazing management on communal land: Information and decision-making in an agro-pastoral system in northern Namibia

¹University of Hohenheim, Inst. of Agric. Sci. in the Tropics (Hans-Ruthenberg-Institute), Germany
²German Institute for Tropical and Subtropical Agriculture (DITSL), Germany

Abstract

Pastoral and agro-pastoral systems in semi-arid regions are increasingly exposed to climate variability and resource constraints, particularly in mixed crop-livestock landscapes where competing land uses create tensions between grazing and crop production. However, how information systems and decision-making processes shape grazing practices in northern Namibia remains poorly understood.

This study examines how herders and livestock owners in a Miombo woodland agro-pastoral system in northern Namibia use information to guide grazing management decisions. Drawing on an exploratory qualitative case study conducted in Muduva Nyangana conservancy (Kavango East Region), the analysis is based on three months of fieldwork. Data collection combined participant observation, participatory seasonal resource mapping sessions (n=30), semi-structured interviews (n=52), and one focus group discussion on digital communication practices.

Herd mobility in the study area is primarily shaped by information on pasture availability and quality, water access, and seasonal dynamics, making these the most critical information needs influencing rangeland use. Herders draw on a combination of ecological, social, and institutional information to navigate these conditions, with additional key information including crop field status and livestock health, alongside risks of conflict with crop farmers. Although decisions are made at the individual level, they are strongly shaped by the spatial proximity of crops, the associated risk of crop damage and institutional sanctions. Information flows rely primarily on direct observation and face-to-face communication, with public meetings playing a central role in disseminating community-level information. Mobile phone use remains selective and functionally limited to calls and SMS, while smartphones and internet-based applications remain limited due to cost, connectivity, and unequal access.

Beyond current practices, the findings reveal substantial unmet information needs, particularly regarding animal health, disease outbreaks, predator presence, livestock theft, and locating lost animals. Existing communication channels are often too slow, spatially limited, or poorly coordinated to support timely responses.

The findings highlight that understanding existing information systems is central to explaining grazing management decisions in agro-pastoral contexts. They further suggest that digital tools may offer opportunities to strengthen information access, but only if aligned with existing practices, socio-institutional contexts, and structural constraints such as unequal access and limited digital literacy.

Keywords: Communal conservancy, crop-livestock integration, herd mobility, Kavango, local knowledge, unmet information needs

Contact Address: Nicolas Garcia Cubillos, University of Hohenheim, Inst. of Agric. Sci. in the Tropics (Hans-Ruthenberg-Institute), Stuttgart, Germany, e-mail: nicolas.garciacubillosuni-hohenheim.de