Working together against desertification – NamTip project strengthens knowledge transfer in Namibia

How can desertification be tackled effectively? And how can scientific findings be translated into practical action on the ground? These questions were at the heart of the German-Namibian research project NamTip, which explored the causes of ecological tipping points and strategies to prevent land degradation in Namibia – one of the driest countries on Earth. Funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space, NamTip has now concluded its work with local partners in Namibia. To mark the end of the project, project lead Prof. Dr. Anja Linstädter and her team from the University of Potsdam, together with university president Prof. Oliver Günther, Ph.D., travelled to Namibia. Their visit included a winter school for students, stakeholder workshops, and a public closing event.

When savannas degrade into desert, biodiversity is lost and both wildlife and livestock are left without forage – with far-reaching consequences, including the collapse of entire ecosystems. This shift can become irreversible once ecological tipping points are crossed. Climate change and unsustainable use of grazing land are primarily responsible for this. In Namibia, where grazing land is central to both livelihoods and the economy, many regions are coming under increasing pressure.

“As part of NamTip, we have studied desertification tipping points and their causes to understand how targeted management can strengthen savanna resilience or, in the best case, even restore degraded ecosystems,” explains project lead Anja Linstädter from the University of Potsdam. Scientific partners included the Universities of Bonn, Cologne, and Tübingen, the ISOE – Institute for Social-Ecological Research, the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, the University of Namibia, and the Namibia University of Science and Technology. The Namibia National Farmers Union and the educational initiative EduVentures, which promotes knowledge transfer to Namibian schoolchildren, joined as implementation partners.

“NamTip is an excellent example of applied research that prioritizes knowledge transfer right from the start,” emphasizes university president Oliver Günther. “Engaging directly with those who use our research is essential – not only to ensure relevance, but also to show how science can contribute to real-world problems such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and food insecurity.”

One of the project’s key goals was to provide accessible and practical knowledge for local stakeholders. To this end, the team developed a series of illustrated fact sheets that address key issues in rangeland management, ranging from using drones to monitor vegetation health to action plans for managing desertification tipping points on communal rangelands. Other topics included the protection of perennial grasses and their soil seed bank through rotational grazing strategies, and a combination of different measures to restore degraded savannas.

To better understand how degradation unfolds, the team established a large-scale field experiment in Namibia's Waterberg region at the start of the project. Over several years, they investigated how the ecosystem responded to different stressors. “As expected, it was the combination of extreme drought and overgrazing that triggered rapid and measurable change,” explains Anja Linstädter. “We first observed a sharp decline in the vitality of perennial grasses. This initiated a domino effect that triggered further degradation processes. Normally, such tipping points are only observable in hindsight, but here we could document them as they occurred.”

The project concluded with two regional workshops in the Waterberg region, bringing together researchers, implementation partners, policymakers, farmers, and community representatives. The first workshop focused on sustainable management to avoid desertification tipping points on freehold farms, including a joint field visit to the experimental site. The second workshop focused on the perspective of the OvaHerero communal land use systems. Participants discussed locally adapted restoration strategies to combat desertification and bush encroachment, such as selective bush thinning, seasonal conservation, and reintroducing native forage grasses. Until recently, communal land users had limited legal options to manage bush encroachment themselves – an issue now being actively addressed through research and policy dialogue.

Ahead of the workshops, a one-week winter school brought together 15 Namibian students for lectures, field excursions, and hands-on training in ecological and social science methods. The participants documented their experiences and impressions in an online diary.

The project officially closed with a press event on June 26, 2025, in Namibia's capital, Windhoek. In front of an audience of government officials, scientists, civil society representatives, and the media, the NamTip team presented key findings and handed over the newly developed fact sheets, which offer concrete, policy-relevant recommendations for climate-resilient and sustainable rangeland management in Namibia.

Further information:

Link to the project website: https://www.uni-potsdam.de/en/namtip

Link to the winter school travel diary: https://www.uni-potsdam.de/en/headlines-and-featured-stories/detail/2025-06-12-Study-Trip-to-Namibia-Understanding-and-Managing-Tipping-Points-in-Dryland-Ecosystems

Photos:

2025_067_1_NamTip_ExperimentTipEx: Participants in the first stakeholder workshop visit the large-scale field experiment of the NamTip project in the Waterberg region. Dr. Mark Bilton from the Namibia University of Science and Technology explains the experimental setups, including rainout shelter for the targeted simulation of drought conditions. The experiment aims to better understand the effects of extreme climate conditions and different grazing regimes on the stability of savanna ecosystems. Photo: Anja Linstädter

2025_067_2_NamTip_FarmerDay_June23: Group photo of participants in the first stakeholder workshop in the Waterberg region. Representatives from agriculture, science, and administration joined the NamTip team to discuss practical strategies for preventing desertification on Namibia's grazing lands. Photo: Carlo Renner

2025_067_3_NamTip_FamerDay_CommunalAreas: Prof. Oliver Günther, Ph.D., talking to scientists from the NamTip team during the second stakeholder workshop in the Waterberg region. The workshop was aimed at representatives of OvaHerero communities and focused on practical approaches to restoring degraded grazing land. Photo: Anja Linstädter

Contact:

Prof. Dr. Anja Linstädter, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology

Phone: +49 331 977-1920

Email: anja.linstaedter@uni-potsdam.de

Media information 04-07-2025 / No. 067

Dr. Stefanie Mikulla

University of Potsdam

Press and Public Relations Office

Am Neuen Palais 10

14469 Potsdam

Tel.: +49 331/977-1474

Fax: +49 331/977-1130

Email: presse@uni-potsdam.de

Website: www.uni-potsdam.de/presse