Excessive needs as cause of unsustainable stock production under extensive range conditions

The large scale degradation of natural grazing in the extensive farming areas of southern Africa can be largely attributed to the high stocking rates. Overstocking is regarded as a form of “over-adoption” and is hypothesized to be related to excessive needs on the part of the farmers. The findings from a survey in the semi-arid regions of southern Namibia confirm the close correlation between the condition of the natural grazing and the degree of overstocking and also provide evidence in support of the hypothesis that decision-making concerning stocking rates is need related. Associating needs or the degree of need tension with the perceived problem magnitude (i.e. the difference between the present and the desired situations), it is found that a high degree of overstocking is positively correlated with bigger needs or aspirations in terms of production aspects, but negatively with aspirations concerning conservation aspects.