SDG: Life on Land
Our commitment
The Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) contributes to the conservation and sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems through education, applied research and collaboration with communities and conservation partners. Our work connects biodiversity conservation with sustainable agriculture, land management and rural livelihoods. Through the Biodiversity Research Centre (BRC), academic programmes and collaborative projects, NUST generates knowledge and develops skills to support the protection of Namibia’s natural environment.
SUPPORTING LAND ECOSYSTEMS THROUGH EDUCATION
- Events about sustainable use of land
In October 2025, NUST participated in environmental education and public dialogue on the importance of trees and biodiversity. During the Namibian Youth Chamber of Environment’s Arbour Day activities, members of the NUST Environmental Club delivered presentations at a dialogue hosted at the International University of Management in Windhoek. Professor Vera de Cauwer, the Acting Director of the Biodiversity Research Centre, represented NUST on a panel alongside environmental specialists from other institutions. The event encouraged awareness of indigenous trees and community participation in conservation. NYCE celebrates its first arbour day |
NUST also contributed to international exchange on sustainability education. From 3–5 September 2025, the Institute for Land, Livelihoods and Housing (ILLH) participated in the International Conference on Sustainability and Education for Sustainable Development in Maputo, Mozambique. Through the Planetary Utilization of Sustainability Strategies network, the conference brought universities together to discuss ecological pressures, resource use, and inclusive approaches to sustainability. ILLH Participates in International Conference on Sustainability and Education for Sustainable Development |
- Maintain and extend current ecosystems’ biodiversity
NUST’s Biodiversity Research Centre supports research in vegetation ecology, wildlife management, ecological restoration and community-based natural resource management. These activities strengthen the scientific knowledge needed to understand biodiversity and its relationship with people’s livelihoods. Home | Biodiversity Research Centre
In 2025, NUST researchers and postgraduate students contributed to long-term woodland monitoring through permanent sampling plots and collaboration with international researchers. Their work investigates vegetation composition, woodland regeneration, carbon storage and ecosystem responses to environmental change. Research at sites including Ongava Game Reserve connects field observations with the understanding of seasonal vegetation changes and nutrient cycling, providing evidence relevant to conservation and woodland management. How long-term monitoring of Namibia's woodlands contributes to understanding African ecosystems
- Educational programmes on ecosystems
NUST provides undergraduate and postgraduate education in natural resource management and ecology. The Bachelor of Natural Resource Management introduces students to the principles and practical challenges of managing natural resources. The research-based Master of Natural Resource Management develops scientific research skills for sustainable resource use, while the Doctor of Philosophy in Natural Resource Management and Ecology provides advanced training in ecological research and biodiversity conservation. These programmes build professional and research capacity relevant to the sustainable management of terrestrial ecosystems.
Programme information:
- Bachelor of Natural Resource Management
- Bachelor of Natural Resource Management Honours
- Master of Natural Resource Management
- Doctor of Philosophy in Natural Resource Management and Ecology
Links to the Programmes:
- https://www.nust.na/programmes/bachelor-natural-resource-management
- https://www.nust.na/programmes/bachelor-natural-resources-management-honours
- https://www.nust.na/programmes/master-natural-resource-management
- https://www.nust.na/doctor-of-philosophy-in-natural-resource-management-and-ecology
- Sustainable management of land for agriculture (educational outreach)
Sustainable management of land for agriculture
NUST combines formal agricultural education with practical engagement with farmers. Our Bachelor of Science in Agriculture includes a Sustainable Agriculture specialisation and develops skills relevant to agricultural production and sustainable resource management. Bachelor of Science in Agriculture |
During 2025, the Revenue diversification pathways in Africa through bio-based and circular agricultural innovations (DIVAGRI) Project demonstration site at our Rietfontein Satellite Campus provided practical examples of circular agricultural technologies. Essential to the initiative are several innovations: a biogas digester that converts cow dung and kitchen scraps into clean cooking gas; two Top-Lit Updraft biochar kilns that turn encroacher bush into soil-boosting biochar; a self-regulating, low energy, clay-based low-pressure irrigation (SLECI) pilot running alongside drip irrigation for comparison; a fenced ethnobotanical plot of fruit and medicinal species; and a refurbished mushroom biorefinery now in early production. These activities demonstrated approaches intended to improve resource efficiency and support rural livelihoods. Demo site turns farm waste into energy, soil health and income |
Sustainable management of land for tourism
Through the DIVAGRI Project, NUST and Stellenbosch University jointly presented practical training on biochar and agritourism to young small-scale farmers at Farm Ombe in the Otjozondjupa Region. The training connected circular farming practices with opportunities to diversify farm income. Demo site turns farm waste into energy, soil health and income |
NUST also offers the Bachelor of Tourism Innovation and Development, which develops professional capacity for Namibia’s tourism sector. Together, these educational activities provide opportunities to connect agricultural livelihoods, tourism enterprise and responsible resource use. Bachelor of Tourism Innovation & Development |
SUPPORTING LAND ECOSYSTEMS THROUGH ACTION
Local biodiversity included in planning and development
In 2025, NUST contributed to the launch of Namibia’s first official Ecosystems Map through the Spatial Biodiversity Assessment, Prioritisation and Planning regional project. The map identifies 218 ecosystem types and provides spatial information to support conservation priorities, restoration and land-use planning [https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17218336]. Central to this achievement is Prof Ben Strohbach, Associate Professor in the Department of Natural Resource Sciences and the Principal Investigator for the project. Prof Strohbach led a team of researchers and supervised 11 postgraduate students, strengthening local expertise and building capacity for future biodiversity research. By making ecosystem information available to decision-makers, this work provides a scientific basis for considering biodiversity in development and natural resource management. Mapping Namibia’s Biodiversity: First Official Ecosystems Map Launched |
Collaboration for shared land ecosystems
NUST is a partner in NamTip, a German–Namibian research initiative examining desertification tipping points in dryland social-ecological systems. In 2025, project activities brought together farmers, researchers, policymakers and community representatives to exchange knowledge on land degradation and rangeland management. Stakeholder workshops in Okakarara and Ozongarangombe addressed conditions on freehold and communal farmland, while field visits to Farm Hamakari connected discussions with practical research. Policy-oriented fact sheets were handed over at a Windhoek press event on 26 June 2025, supporting the dissemination of research findings to decision-makers and practitioners. NamTip’s Focus on Impact, Policy, and Community Voices |
NUST also contributed expertise to regional land governance. Through ILLH, Professor Uchendu Eugene Chigbu provided technical support during the drafting of The Gambia’s land policy. The validation workshop brought together government, local authorities, civil society and academia to consider land tenure security, sustainable land management and climate resilience. Validation Workshop – Draft Land Policy, The Gambia June 2025 |
LAND SENSITIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
NUST’s applied research demonstrates opportunities to recover useful resources from agricultural waste. At the Rietfontein DIVAGRI demonstration site, a biogas digester converts cow dung and kitchen scraps into cooking gas, while biochar kilns process encroacher bush into material intended for soil improvement. These project-level activities demonstrate circular approaches to organic resource management and provide practical learning opportunities for farmers and students. Demo site turns farm waste into energy, soil health and income |
Furthermore, NUST’s Windhoek campus operates within the municipal jurisdiction of the City of Windhoek and follows applicable municipal waste-management requirements for waste collection and disposal. https://www.windhoekcc.org.na/refuse-removal-at-institutions-not-for-gain/
