'Maybe God is angry': Science, religion and tradition at forefront of climate change response

When the drought first swept the northern Namibian region of Omusati in 2013, people were going hungry, and it hit their livestock herds, too. France Tjilondelo’s (not his real name) says there wasn’t enough food for the family’s small herds of cattle and goats in that first year of drought.

Two years later, when agricultural extension officers were warning them to sell their animals because the drought still wasn’t about to break, some farmers preferred to wait on God, than rely on scientific forecasts. But since these animals are an important form of savings, not selling could put their investments at risk of starvation.