San Draw Water with Solar Pumps to Grow Own Vegetables

Earlier this month, the San (Bushmen) living in the Nyae Nyae Conservancy received the British High Commissioner, HE Jo Lomas as guest to show her their successful vegetable project.

Although groundwater is abundant, the relative scarcity of boreholes and the cost of pumping water to the surface, prevented the communities living in the conservancy from effectively tapping this source of water.

Help came from the European Union, two years ago, under the EU Climate Change Adaptation Project. Water is now drawn from boreholes using solar pumps, bringing the cost down considerably. The San use this water for their livestock but also to grow vegetables to complement their veld food sustenance.

The project also supports the San to harvest Devil’s Claw, an indigenous bush used widely in medicine. The Devil’s Claw is cleaned, diced and dried before sold to international traders. This provides the San community with a cash income. This year, the Nyae Nyae San sold a bumper crop.

https://economist.com.na/21223/community-and-culture/bushmen-settlers-at-nyae-nyae-grow-own-vegetables/

Mario Micklisch

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