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According to researchers, Namibia ranks highest as the driest country in sub-Saharan Africa. Also, it has surface water for limited periods within a year, thus in terms of rainfall capacity, Namibia receives an average of 270 mm of rain annually. The country is divided into regions, the eastern region, and the western region. The eastern region receives about 700mm of rainfall annually, while the western region receives about 20 mm of rainfall annually. Similarly, the country comprises two deserts, the Namib desert, and the Kalahari Desert. Nevertheless, the Namib desert comprises unique flora, fauna, and climate, making it a center of attraction for various research studies.
The Namib deserts run along the Atlantic Ocean, therefore, sustaining high ocean primary production due to the upwelling of the nutrient-rich waters due to the trade winds. The resulting Benguela current suppresses the rainfall over the desert and is responsible for the Namib Desert’s arid environment. The suppression of rainfall is responsible for the lack of food security and extended poverty. The Namib Desert cuts across three countries in Southern Africa, starting with South Africa, majoring in Namibia, and then ending in Angola. Approximately it covers about 130 000 km2 along the Atlantic coast inland (Mupambwa et al., 2019). The Namib Desert’s aridity results from the combination of the cool air masses influenced by the cold Benguela Current in combination with the subtropics’ high-pressure conditions. Unlike other deserts characterized by extremely high temperatures, the Namib desert experiences lower temperatures due to the influence of the cold Benguela Current.
The Namib Desert experiences an approximately average annual rainfall range of 15 mm on the coast to 80 to 100 mm near the great escarpment. Similarly, the Namib desert is the aridest part of Namibia, chances are that it may experience several years of no rainfall. For instance, an area in the Desert’s coastal part known as the Swakopmund went close to 10 years without experiencing any rainfall (Mupambwa et al., 2019). Due to the lack of rain in the area, the area inhabitants are forced to adapt to other sources of water such as fog, and other naturally occurring sources of water such as those found in food. Fog occurrence in the area is more frequent than rainfall; thus, it is easy to study and determine its occurrence, making it a significant source of water in the area (Mitchell et al., 2020). The people of Namibia rely on fog water for crop production as well as for survival.
The Namib Desert has temperatures atypical of the usual deserts, thus making it unique. For instance, the annual average temperature ranges from 17°C to 13°C. Such temperatures make it favorable for agriculture to thrive even though the place has insufficient water. In a typical desert, the deteriorating agricultural factor is always attributable to the high temperatures. However, with low temperatures in the Namib Desert, other water sources, such as drip irrigation, indicate that agricultural produce may thrive in the area. However, researchers have indicated that the Namib Desert soil lacks enough carbon content and macronutrients paramount for crop production. Likewise, the lack of enough water despite the low temperatures makes crop production in the area hard to practice. Still, given the distance proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, the Namibians may exploit various technologies to promote agricultural production in the area, and they may benefit in the process.
References
- Mitchell, D., Henschel, J. R., Hetem, R. S., Wassenaar, T. D., Strauss, W. M., Hanrahan, S. A.,
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