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67 guidesCob Building
Cob is one of the oldest and most versatile natural building techniques, consisting of a hand-sculpted mixture of subsoil (clay and sand), straw, and water. It has been used across centuries and cultures, from the British Isles to parts of Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, offering a durable, breathable, and sustainable building method. Overview […]
Air-prune beds: raise trees and test what works in Namibia
Raise a small batch of trees with space for air beneath their roots. Start with a trial you can water reliably, then compare the plants after planting out.
Fog Harvesting: A Sustainable Water Source for Farming on the Namib Coast
Introduction The Namib Desert, one of the driest places on Earth, may seem like the last place you would find an abundant water source. Yet, along the Namib Coast, from Lüderitz to Walvis Bay, nature delivers a hidden gift almost every day: fog. These low-lying coastal mists, formed when the cold Benguela Current meets the […]
Shieldboxes
The ShieldBox is a simple, low-cost innovation designed to protect young plants and seedlings in Namibia’s dry, harsh environments. Made from recycled pallet wood, it forms a small microclimate enclosure that guards against wind, heat, animals, and mulch damage — common causes of seedling loss in arid and semi-arid conditions. ShieldBoxes combine traditional wisdom with […]
Charred timber posts: local trials and the limits of a surface treatment
Charring timber is a traditional surface treatment.
Solar cooking: match the cooker to the meal and the weather
Solar cooking uses sunlight as a heat source.
Elephants and beehive fences: a community option to assess
Beehive fences use bees as part of an elephant-deterrent system.
Rocket stoves: choose a practical cooker and measure the fuel saved
A well-designed rocket stove directs heat from a small wood fire toward a cooking pot. It can make everyday cooking more economical, but performance depends on the stove, fuel, pot and way it is used. Start with the meals your household actually cooks.
Wood gasifiers: understand the system before investing
A wood gasifier converts solid biomass into a combustible gas that can supply suitable equipment. It is an energy system with fuel preparation, gas cleaning and operating demands—not simply a way to pour wood into an ordinary engine.
Charcoal kilns: compare the complete production system
A charcoal enterprise turns a suitable wood supply into a marketable product. Kiln choice matters, but harvesting, drying, safe cooling, grading, transport and the buyer’s specification can determine whether the work pays.
Solar food drying: preserve a harvest with a controlled process
A solar dryer uses the sun and moving air to remove moisture from food. It can help preserve seasonal surplus, but a warm box is not automatically a safe drying process. The food, weather, airflow and final dryness all matter.
Small grain mills: choose equipment for the grain and the job
A small mill can save time and turn local grain into useful food. The right choice depends on the grain, desired flour, daily quantity, power supply and ability to maintain the equipment—not simply how fast a motor spins.