The Kavango River is one of only four perennial rivers that flow along Namibia’s borders. Namibia has no perennial rivers flowing through it, meaning all of this water is shared with our neighbouring countries. The Namibian Government, through NamWater, plans to implement the Kavango Link Project, a major infrastructure scheme that would transport water from the river to central Namibia. The water shortage facing central Namibia is serious. The population of the central area has reportedly quadrupled over the past 30 years and continues to grow. With severe droughts expected to place even more pressure, what then is the best solution?
On the 5th of August, the Namibian Youth Chamber of Environment (NYCE) hosted a webinar to explore whether this project offers a sustainable response to the country’s water-security challenges and what it could mean for the wider Okavango River Basin. The session was moderated by Shanice Ngeve, NYCE member and Water Resource Management graduate, alongside panellists Dr John Mendelsohn of Research and Information Services of Namibia (RAISON), Dr Chris Brown of the Namibian Chamber of Environment (NCE), and Laimi Nghipulile, NYCE member and Water Resource Management student.
Life on the Kavango River under threat
The Kavango River is a lifeline for the communities living alongside it. The river provides fish, irrigation for crops, jobs through tourism, and so much more. Yet it continues to face increasing pressure from water abstraction, agricultural expansion and population growth. Figures presented during the webinar showed that the number of pumps along parts of the river has almost tripled since 2017, from 89 pumps to 244 pumps in 2023. Over four years, the area under commercial irrigation also increased from approximately 3,200 to 5,300 hectares.
The concern is not development itself, but the limited regulation and enforcement accompanying it. Without effective permitting, monitoring and coordinated planning, water use along the Kavango is currently a ‘free-for-all’, placing the entire river system under strain.
Climate change makes the situation even more urgent. Dr Mendelsohn shared that river flows could decline by approximately 25% to 33% over the next 20 years because of changing rainfall patterns and rising temperatures. If upstream demand continues to grow while flows decline, Namibia’s plans to abstract additional water at Rundu may become increasingly difficult to sustain.
Challenges of managing this common-pool resource
Although Angola, Namibia and Botswana have worked together through the Permanent Okavango River Basin Water Commission (OKACOM) for more than 30 years, Dr Mendelsohn felt that cooperation has not yet produced sufficiently enforceable rules for managing water use across the basin.
Botswana has perhaps the greatest economic stake in protecting the river because of the Okavango Delta’s importance to tourism. Botswana’s tourism sector seems to be surprisingly quiet about Namibia’s plans, despite the potential consequences of a declining river system. Local communities in all three countries have just as much at stake, yet they often have limited opportunities to influence decisions. Greater participation by residents, traditional authorities and civil society is therefore essential to ensuring that plans for the river take the needs and perspectives of local stakeholders into account.
Is the Kavango Link Project a good idea?
The webinar recognised that central Namibia urgently needs additional water. However, the Kavango Link Project was criticised as an expensive short-term response that may not provide lasting water security. The project is estimated to cost between N$7 billion and N$9 billion, yet speakers warned that declining river flows and growing upstream demand could reduce its usefulness within 10 to 20 years.
The concern is that Namibia does not control how much water is used upstream. Which means building major infrastructure around an uncertain supply could leave the country with a costly system that cannot deliver the expected volumes over its intended lifespan.
What is the alternative?
Dr Brown suggested that desalination, supported by solar power in the short-term and nuclear power in the long-term, would be a more sustainable and expandable alternative. Namibia’s Atlantic coastline provides access to a water source that is not dependent on rainfall or upstream abstraction. Modular desalination plants could be added to the system gradually as demand from central Namibia grows. He added that a regional partnership could potentially extend such a system towards Gaborone, allowing Namibia and Botswana to share costs and benefits.
Although desalination requires substantial upfront investment, renewable energy could help reduce operating costs over time. Government, the private sector and international climate-finance institutions, such as the Green Climate Fund, could also share the financial burden.
Dr Brown emphasised that desalination is not a simple or inexpensive solution. It would still require careful environmental management, reliable energy and major transmission infrastructure. However, it offers a scalable water source that is less vulnerable to changing river flows and could form part of a broader strategy linking water, renewable energy, industry and carefully planned high-value agriculture.
The role of young Namibians
Ms Laimi encouraged young Namibians to become active participants in water-resource management rather than passive observers. Young people will live with the long-term consequences of today’s decisions, and they therefore have both a responsibility and an opportunity to influence how the country manages its water.
She added that young Namibians can contribute by learning about water issues, conducting research, attending public forums, joining environmental organisations, volunteering in community activities and advocating for evidence-based decisions. Social media could also be used responsibly to raise awareness and encourage informed public discussion.
Conclusion
Namibia cannot postpone action on water security, but urgency should not lead to short-sighted decisions. The Kavango River is a shared and finite resource, and any plan to increase abstraction must consider climate change, upstream demand, local communities and the ecological importance of the wider basin.
Read a detailed report on this topic by the Namibian Chamber of Environment on the Conservation Namibia website.
Click here to download the PowerPoint presentation (pptx, 5mb)