Welcome!
Danou van Rensburg has been dedicated to permaculture for many years in Namibia, focusing on sustainable agriculture practices.​
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Please contact Danou at:
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00264812345655
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@thefoodforestnamibia
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Check out Danou's latest video!
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https://www.youtube.com/@thefoodforestnamibia
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Permaculture is a way of growing food that works with nature, focusing on creating sustainable and self-sufficient ecosystems. The goal is to build a healthy environment that supports both people and nature.
Danou and his team aim to spread permaculture practices and water harvesting techniques across Africa.
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By capturing and utilizing water efficiently, they hope to empower local communities to create thriving, sustainable environments. This can lead to significant improvements in the health of their land and communities.
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Danou often hires local men to help build swales. These are shallow trenches dug along the land's contour to capture rainwater.
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Danou often says, "Namibia does not have a water problem; it has a water management problem."
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By implementing water harvesting techniques like swales, key swales, and analog dams, he aims to capture the seasonal rainfall and allow it to soak into the ground.
This helps to retain moisture in the soil, transforming dry landscapes into fertile ground.
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​​When the rain comes, instead of flowing away quickly, the water collects in these swales. This helps it soak into the ground, recharging the soil and eventually replenishing the underground water supply.
​​​​​This method turns dry land into more fertile ground. Namibia is known for its arid climate, with vast stretches of desert and semi-desert terrain. The country often experiences droughts, making water a precious resource.
Otjiwarongo, located in the central part of Namibia, faces similar challenges with its arid environment.
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With climate change, the region is experiencing more extreme weather patterns, including heavier rainfall in short bursts. This makes water harvesting techniques like swales essential to capture and retain the water, preventing it from running off quickly.
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Permaculture methods can greatly improve resilience against these changing conditions, turning challenges into opportunities for sustainable growth.
​Danou and his team are eager to collaborate with local schools to introduce children to permaculture. He envisions creating partnerships where students can visit The Food Forest Namibia, learn about sustainable practices, and gain hands-on experience.
This initiative aims to inspire the next generation to engage in environmental protection.
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​​​​​Danou regularly hires over ten workers daily, fostering a community-driven approach. Two key team members are Lucas and Emmanuel.
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​​​​​​​​​​​​**Lucas**: A middle-aged man who feels it's his mission from God to work with Danou. He serves as the head of the workers and plays a crucial role in finding and managing the team. Currently, due to some legal issues, Lucas has lost his house, and there's a GoFundMe project in place to help him.
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**Emmanuel**: A bright young man in his mid-twenties, learning the technical aspects of permaculture. Danou is mentoring him to use tools like the Dumpy level to map the land's contours and build swales. Emmanuel is poised to become a leading voice in the permaculture movement for The Food Forest Namibia.
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Additionally, Danou is working to change the local culture from bare ground farming to permaculture practices, such as mulching. By engaging communities through initiatives like mulching competitions, he hopes to demonstrate the benefits of keeping the ground covered for better water retention and soil health.
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Supporters can contribute by joining Danou's YouTube channel or through platforms like "Buy Me a Coffee," which helps fund these initiatives and support the team.
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The concept of permaculture is not just limited to Namibia. Across Africa, similar initiatives like the Great Green Wall in northern Africa are combating desertification
. The Great Green Wall is an African-led project aimed at restoring degraded land across the Sahel region, helping communities become more resilient to climate change. The initiative seeks to restore 100 million hectares of land, sequester 250 million tonnes of carbon, and create 10 million jobs by 2030.
Though the Sahel and Namibia have different rainfall patterns, both regions face severe aridity.
Namibia, influenced by the Benguela current, is generally drier, making water harvesting methods even more critical.
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Danou and his team are implementing similar strategies to address desertification in Namibia, ensuring sustainable land management and community development.
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Key Water Harvesting Techniques
1. **Key Swales**: Shallow trenches dug along the contour of the land to capture and slow water runoff, allowing it to infiltrate the soil.
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2. **Swales**: Similar to key swales, these are shallow channels that follow the land's contour to manage water runoff and increase infiltration.
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3. **Analog Dams**: Structures built to mimic natural dams, used to slow down and capture water flow, aiding in groundwater recharge.
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4. **Beaver Dams**: Natural or artificial structures that slow water flow, promoting infiltration and creating wetlands.
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5. **Contour Bunds**: Raised barriers built along the contour lines of a slope to capture and store rainwater.
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6. **Gabions**: Cages filled with rocks or other materials, used to slow water flow and reduce erosion.
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7. **Percolation Pits**: Small excavations that capture runoff and allow water to percolate into the ground.
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8. **Rain Gardens**: Shallow, planted depressions designed to absorb and filter rainwater runoff from impervious areas.
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9. **Terracing**: Creating stepped levels on a slope to slow water flow and increase infiltration.
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10. **Zai Pits**: Traditional West African planting pits that capture water and increase soil fertility.
