Strengthening community resilience through landscape restoration: Establishment of the Ndiyona Nursery and MADI Orchard

Restoring degraded land and strengthening community resilience in Namibia is essential, as the country’s economy, food security, and rural livelihoods depend heavily on the health of its natural resources. As one of the driest countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Namibia faces increasing climate risks, including prolonged droughts, floods, and advancing land degradation, making proactive restoration efforts more urgent than ever.

The GEF7-Dryland Sustainable Landscapes Impact Program (DSL-IP) Namibia Child Project, supported by FAO and executed by the Namibian Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform  actively works to address the problem of increasing land degradation in the Miombo-Mopane dry forest belt of northern Namibia, specifically targeting three landscapes spanning across the Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto and Kavango East regions.

One of the project’s recent achievements is the establishment of the Ndiyona Forestry office Nursery in the Kavango East region. Developed in partnership with the Directorate of Forestry, the nursery is rapidly becoming a central hub for local restoration. It will supply communities, schools, and farmer groups with both indigenous and fruit tree seedlings, resources that are often difficult to access. Speaking on the importance of this initiative, the Regional Project Implementation Officer Erikka Mokanya  noted: “The nursery is more than just an infrastructure; it is a long-term resource for the community. It enables households to take the lead in restoring degraded land while improving access to fruit trees that support nutrition and livelihoods.”

Another key milestone is the establishment of a 42m x 200m Orchard at the Mashare Agricultural Institute (MADI). Planted with mango, guava, cashew, and papaya trees, the orchard serves as a practical learning environment for students and a demonstration site for farmers. It illustrates how tree-based systems can enhance food production, diversify incomes, and promote environmental stewardship. “This orchard shows what is possible when practical training is combined with real restoration work. These trees will feed families, support income generation, and reduce pressure on natural forests.” noted the Erikka.

Together, the Ndiyona Nursery and the MADI Orchard reflect the project’s commitment to landscape restoration and community resilience. More than simple project outputs, they represent lasting investments in the people and institutions that will carry this work long after the project concludes.

Authors: Erikka Mokanya, Regional Implementation Officer, Kavango, and Nelao Haimbodi, Knowledge Management Stakeholders Engagement and Outreach Expert, DSL-IP Namibia country project