In a recent development, Namibia's Zambezi Region recorded a fire incident on July 17, 2024, highlighting the country's persistent struggle with tree cover loss. Namibia, with an area of over 82 million hectares, has a relatively small tree cover extent of approximately 3,835 hectares. Over the years, the country has experienced a net change in tree cover that reflects a loss of 15,674 hectares, against a gain of 15,114 hectares, resulting in a net loss of 560 hectares, which is a 0.34% decrease from the stable tree cover.
Shifting agriculture has been identified as the primary driver of tree cover loss, accounting for significant portions of the lost hectares annually. Notably, the year 2021 saw a tree cover loss of 4.37 hectares, with shifting agriculture responsible for 0.29 hectares of this loss. In 2022, the total tree cover loss was 1.01 hectares, with shifting agriculture again being the main contributor.
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