Abstract
Namibia is the driest country in sub-Saharan Africa, with surface water being only available for very limited periods during the year. This has seen the country importing up to 70% of its food requirements which exacerbates the food security challenge in the face of climate change. This review looks at the Namib Desert, and how its unique environment can be exploited for agricultural production. The cool but sunny desert makes it possible to produce crops under controlled environments with limited evapotranspiration. However, the high cost of inorganic hydroponic fertilizers makes adoption of hydroponics by smallholder subsistence farmers a great challenge thus the potential of hydroponics fertilized by organic nutrient sources like vermicomposts is discussed; highlighting research gaps. This review also highlights the potential of utilizing fog water for irrigation, a resource that is abundant in the Namib Desert, which can be crucial in desert greening. Though mushroom production is an established technology, the potential of using seaweeds from the highly productive Atlantic Ocean as mushroom substrate amendments and their potential in improving the nutrient value of mushrooms is also explored. This review highlights that agriculture is possible in this hyper-arid desert, with research being critical in driving its success.
Highlights
Namibia is the driest country in sub-Saharan Africa, with surface water only available for very limited periods of the year (Wanke et al, 2014)
In Namibia, the coastal desert, the Namib Desert whose environmental conditions are regulated by the cold Atlantic Ocean, presents a cool desert with plenty of sunlight
This review highlights that very limited research has been linked to crop production, with much of the work being on ecology
Summary
Namibia is the driest country in sub-Saharan Africa, with surface water only available for very limited periods of the year (Wanke et al, 2014). Technologies that can promote the minimal use of the scarce freshwater under desert conditions such as use of soilless cropping systems exploiting hydroponics have been critical among others like deficit irrigation, in driving agricultural productivity in such arid environments (Mbaga, 2014; Mohareb et al, 2017; Mowa, Akundabweni, Chimwamurombe, Oku, & Mupambwa, 2017). Another new technology that is receiving attention as a panacea to food insecurity is the combination of aquaculture and hydroponic systems called aquaponics. Very limited studies have been carried out to evaluate the potential organic nutrient value of vermi-leachates in
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