The backgrounds of this M.A. degree thesis in Social Anthropology are linked to a
research project initially promoted by the United Nations University – Institute for
Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS) named “Water related conflicts in the local
context” as part of the MICROCON program1
.
For the research purposes underlying this thesis, Namibia was of special interest
principally due to its climate and law regulations. Namibia is the driest country in the SubSaharan
Africa varying from 600 mm rainfall per year in the northwest to less than 50 mm
per year at the coast. The occurrence of rain during the rainy season from October to April
is limited to convective showers and is extremely variable both in space and time (De
Bruine/ Rukira 1997).