Located 90 kilometers east of Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, Dordabis is a small settlement in the Khomas region. Home to approximately 1,500 residents, the community faces significant socio-economic and environmental health challenges, including high unemployment, poverty, alcoholism, and violence. Despite the presence of essential services such as a post office, health clinic, police station, and primary school, access to basic resources remains limited. Agriculture serves as the primary source of income, though the region’s dry climate, with an average annual rainfall of just 293 millimeters, presents ongoing challenges. These hardships profoundly impact the well-being and overall quality of life of Dordabis’ vulnerable rural population.
As part of its corporate social responsibility and community engagement program, UNAM Cares—the University of Namibia—has collaborated with Crowded House, a local community church, and the Capacitating One Health in Eastern and Southern Africa (COHESA) project to implement the Sustainable One Health Garden in Dordabis (SOHGARD).
A five-day training course in sustainable gardening skills and One Health capacity-building was conducted for 19 One Health champions in Dordabis. Community members were equipped with knowledge and skills in Sustainable One Health Gardening (SOHG) to improve food and feed production, food security, and overall health and well-being to improve livelihoods.
A Holistic approach to sustainable gardening
The SOHGARD initiative aims to develop agroecologically viable, environmentally sustainable, socially fair, and culturally sensitive production systems. Using the One Health approach, it promotes:
- Nutritional agricultural production
- Water resource management and conservation
- Pesticide-free food production
- Understanding the socio-economic realities of families
The initiative also integrates cultural practices, traditions and indigenous knowledge that strengthen community cohesion, encourage cooperation among families, and support sustainable agriculture. Training sessions emphasized the importance of producing food and feed without chemical pesticides, while conserving biodiversity, soil, water and the broader environment. Training processes and content were co-created with the community members to leverage culturally sensitive indigenous knowledge and practices, thus ensuring relevance and effectiveness.
Transforming Households through One Health training
As a result, households have reported increased availability of nutritious food, inspiring families to set up small-scale backyard vegetable gardens for family consumption and income generation. Currently, 30 families—each consisting of five to eight members—benefiting from daily fresh produce from the SOHGARD project. The initiative also promotes short marketing circuits for income generation and encourages collective efforts for improved livelihoods.
Community members shared benefits from the SOHGARD project:
“Gardening is my way of getting my daily dose of Vitamin D-dirt. Doing gardening adds years to my life and life to my years,” Abby Gariseb, Pastor, Crowded House Church.
“I like spending time in my garden, it my sacred place where I can pull the weeds of worry and plant my seeds of hope. It’s my sanctuary - where I dig deep and let it all out. My garden is my friend, whom I can visit any time. It’s my place of therapy where I clear my mind and revitalize myself.” Anna Kambonge, Dorbabis resident.
Community Impact: sustainable food and feed production
The SOHGARD initiative supports both community members and their livestock. After receiving training and in-kind support, community members planted a variety of crops, including onions, spinach, sweet corn, beetroot, carrots, lettuce, beans, green peppers, chili, tomatoes, pumpkins, lucerne, and sunflower for human and animal consumption.
To cultivate a future workforce in sustainable agriculture, the SOHGARD project engages Grade 7 learners at Dordabis Primary School, along with children from One Health Champions’ families, ensuring the intergenerational transfer of skills. The project operates on a one-hectare plot of land, subdivided into 24 smaller plots. Among the beneficiaries are a male and female pensioner who work closely with their children and grandchildren to nurture and manage the gardens. Additionally, one plot is dedicated to the school's agriculture class under the supervision of the Agriculture Teacher, another supports the school’s soup kitchen, and a third is allocated to the hostel learners under the guidance of the Hostel Superintendent. Through active participation in gardening activities, students develop an early appreciation for sustainable agriculture, food production, and food security, equipping them with valuable skills for the future.
On a lighter note, during a One Health content development meeting, a student humorously remarked, “Prof, I might not remember the question you asked, but gardening is definitely my answer.” His response reflects his enthusiasm for working in the garden alongside his teacher, Mr. Dumeni.
Rachel Freeman, Head on UNAM Cares in the Office of the Vice Chancellor and COHESA Namibia Project Officer said:
As the University of Namibia, we are deeply grateful and honored to play a relevant and responsive role in empowering the Dordabis community to grow their own food as a means of alleviating poverty and hunger. Growing your own food is like printing your own money. Through UNAM Cares, gardening is embraced as a mindful practice—an art of patience—where the One Health Champions plant each seed as a whisper of hope."
Leveraging partnerships and technical support
The initiative is supervised and managed by the leadership of Crowded House Church, while UNAM Cares provides technical assistance in food and feed production, food safety, and security. Additionally, the project benefits from expertise within the One Health community, including the Zero-Emission Research Initiative (ZERI) at UNAM’s Multidisciplinary Research Centre and the Veterinary Public Health and Para-clinical Studies departments.
The future
Drawing from the lessons learned during the implementation of SOHGARD, the tripartite collaboration (UNAM Cares, COHESA, and Crowded House Church) plans to document and share this project as a best-case example of the transformative power of collective efforts in enhancing food and feed production among rural communities. By promoting sustainable One Health gardening, Dordabis is taking meaningful steps toward self-sufficiency, self-reliance, improved nutrition, and economic empowerment for its people.
Sand pit project
The SOHGARD project is one of eight projects funded by the Capacitating One Health in Eastern and Southern Africa (COHESA) project following a call for multidisciplinary One Health project proposals to address local challenges, across the 12 COHESA countries. As part of the Sandpit process, teams pitched their proposals and the winning pitches are promoted, receive funding as well as technical support and mentoring from COHESA.
All photos- Prof Rachel Freeman – Head, UNAM Cares
For more information contact: Prof Rachel Freeman, Head of UNAM Cares
Office of the Vice Chancellor, Email: rfreeman@unam.na