The National Botanical Research Institute’s mandate is the study of the flora and vegetation of Namibia, in order to promote the understanding, conservation and sustainable use of Namibia’s plants for the benefit of all.

• Identification of plants
• Taxonomy of Namibian flora
• Description and mapping of vegetation types
• Vegetation and ecosystem dynamics – long-term monitoring, reaction to the environment, including abiotic and biotic factors, land use practices.
• Population dynamics
• Red List assessments
• Plant uses, indigenous knowledge, marketing of plant products as well as market development
• Collection and storage of plant genetic resources
• Propagation and cultivation of indigenous plants
• Curation of botanical collections
• Curation of data bases
• Environmental education

• Flora of Namibia:
  This ongoing project aims at providing descriptive tools for the identification of plant species in Namibia. As a fair percentage of our flora overlaps with that of neighbouring countries (especially southern Angola, western and central Botswana), the outcomes of this project is also of interest to scientist and users in these countries. One focus of this project is to provide user-friendly publications on plants of Namibia to the general public, e.g. Wild Flower Guides, as well as Field Guides for trees, grasses and/or toxic plants.


• Herbarium of Namibia:
  Very closely related to the Flora of Namibia project, the herbarium is managed as a national heritage with over 90 000 specimens of all Namibian plant species, as well as relatives from neighbouring countries (especially Angola and South Africa). This collections provides a powerful tool for an identification service given to professionals, students and the general public.


• Vegetation of Namibia:
  This ongoing project aims at the description and mapping of vegetation types in Namibia. For this purpose, well over 10 000 plots throughout Namibia were already sampled and data-based in a National Phytosociological Database. These plots however do not cover the entire country, with various sensitive gaps especially in the western and southern parts of the country. Emphasis is being made on a practical classification and description, which can be used as a management tool for land use planning.


• Vegetation monitoring:
  As an outcome of the recent BIOTA project, a series of permanent observation sites with infrastructure have been established. The aim is to, within this project, continue with long-term monitoring of vegetation composition especially in central and northern Namibia, to establish changes as related to land-use and climate changes. In the process, various small-sale experiments and monitoring trials are also done, like the monitoring of water infiltration into soil as related to vegetation density, etc.


• NamIP / Photodatabase of southern African Plants:
  What started as NamIP (Namibian Indigenous Plants database), is presently being expanded in collaboration with the Biocentre Klein Flottbek, University of Hamburg, to become a powerful internet-based tool for providing information on Namibian and other southern African plant species to the general public and Scientists alike. Emphasis is placed on exploiting available digital data sources at the NBRI to provide such data.


• National Botanical Garden of Namibia:
  This facility is mainly used and managed as an environmental education and awareness facility, and is visited by many school and student groups, in addition to tourists and the general public. As part of its function, strong emphasis is paced on the conservation and cultivation of rare and endemic species, often using plants which have been rescued from areas where mining operations are to commence, or infrastructure like roads, dams, powerlines, etc are to be built.


• National Plant Genetic Resources Centre:
  Unlike many other genebanks, our genebank does not only focus on crop species and varieties, but also on numerous wild crop relatives and other indigenous Namibian plant species. Seeds are collected, cleaned and stored locally, with duplicate accessions being sent to the regional seed bank in Lusaka (SPGRC) and/or to the Millennium Seed Bank in Wakehurst (as part of the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew). Part of this work is an envisaged project on collecting and characterising local landraces (crop varieties), which are used by the rural Namibian population.


• Millennium Seed Bank Project:
  Over the past years, we took part in the Millenium Seed Bank project, in which seeds of ca 10 % of all Namibian species were collected and stored both at the NPGRC as well as at the Millennium Seed Bank in Wakehurst (as part of the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew). This project has been successfully concluded in October 2009. Since we are in a process of preparing project proposals for a continuation of the project, now referred to as the Millennium Seed Bank Partnership. Next to seed collection (aiming at 25 % of all taxa of Namibia), a strong emphasis is to be placed on the use of seed by local communities.


• Red Data Listing / in situ conservation:
  Conservation of plant species in Botanical Gardens and/or seed banks is seen as a last resort. The emphasis should rather be on conserving such species in their natural environment. In the frame of this project, species are evaluated regarding their vulnerability for extinction (as per IUCN guidelines) ("red data listing"), and known populations of such species are regularly monitored to ascertain the health status of such populations. In the frame of this project, and in close collaboration with the National Botanical Garden, plant rescue missions are undertaken in case such known populations are threatened by development work (e.g. the establishment of new mines, etc.).


• Plant Product Development:
  Rather than developing new marketable products from indigenous plants, an emphasis is placed on facilitating the development of such new incomes for communities by providing a legal framework, providing information regarding the cultivation and harvesting of such products, as well as market-related research. This is done in close collaboration with established NGO’s, institutions and projects in the field (e.g. CRIAA, HOGRAN, ICEMA, IPPT, Devil’s Claw Working Group, etc.). A strong link is established to the Millennium Challenge Account project in Namibia.


• MAN Müller Library:
  This reference library under the auspices of the NBRI specialises in botanical literature from southern Africa, specifically Namibia. Next to a number of well-known titles in its collection, a large number of theses, reports on other "grey" literature on plants, plant taxonomy and ecology of plants from Namibia are held here. Also a full collection of local and some regional publications, like the Dinteria, Bothalia, Agricola etc. are being held at the MAN Müller Library. On the converse side, however, due to financial restrictions, not many international journals can be subscribed to. Therefore an effort is being made to collect Namibia-relevant reprints, both as paper copies as well as in electronic format, at the library.
  
  The MAN Müller Library is a reference library only, meaning what no material can be borrowed. Professionals, students and the general public are however welcome to work within the library.

• Photodatabase of southern African plants:
  The NBRI has a wealth of digital data on both plants and vegetation types in Namibia, much of which can be used also in neighbouring countries (e.g. Angola, Botswana). The German partner in this project, the Biocentre Klein Flottbek of the University of Hamburg, has also a strong interest in expanding this project to cover not only Namibian species, but species of southern Africa. Aims for this project are:
  
  • Clean-up of a basic species list
  • Linking taxa to specific photos (feature already implemented)
  • Uploading further photos (ongoing)
  • Developing links to existing databases, in order to:
  • Develop up to date distribution maps for species
  • Extract species characteristics, which can be used for identification purposes
  • Develop a web-based identification key
  • Provide information on plant uses
  • Provide information on the species’ habitats
  
  As part of this project, the further development of associated software like BIOTABase, the plant genetic resources database, forestry inventory databases etc. is envisaged. Also envisaged in the long-term is a web-GIS based map of vegetation types, much of which is already being done in the current vegetation of Namibia project.


• Flora of Namibia:
  This ongoing project aims at providing descriptive tools for the identification of plant species in Namibia. As a fair percentage of our flora overlaps with that of neighbouring countries (especially southern Angola, western and central Botswana), the outcomes of this project is also of interest to scientist and users in these countries. This project can both benefit from the RSSC initiative with the provision of additional resources, staff training opportunities, etc. One of the potential opportunities is the development of genetic bar-coding techniques for southern African plants, making identification of species easier, even in a dry (generally unrecognisable) state.
  
  This project can also provide a service to other collaborating countries like Angola, there taxonomy and plant identification services are not well established. One focus of this project is to provide user-friendly publications on plants of Namibia to the general public, e.g. Wild Flower Guides, as well as Field Guides for trees, grasses and/or toxic plants.


• Vegetation Survey of Namibia:
  Although large parts of the country have already been cover through this project, especially the western, southern and far north-western farming areas are largely undersampled or not sampled at all. Aim would be to continue the surveying, and to publish data on various vegetation types online. This information is to include biodiversity data, habitat descriptors as well as data regarding sensitivities and utilisation potentials for these vegetation types. An emphasis will also be placed on mapping these vegetation types using remote sensing applications.


• Monitoring of vegetation:
  This task is also presently ongoing, but at a relative small scale. Through support by the RSSC initiative, more regular, more intensive monitoring can be undertaken, and the monitoring network can be expanded. This includes the monitoring of abiotic factors e.g. climate, which is recognised to be the major driving force in changing vegetation in arid southern Africa.
  
  NBRI staff have considerable expertise in the selection and establishment of biodiversity observation (monitoring) sites, which could also be available to other participating countries.


• Survey to crop land races:
  Most Namibian farmers do not use commercial crop varieties, but rely on traditional varieties of various crops for their own use. Many of these varieties (referred to as “landraces”) have been selected for specific purposes – to be planted with early rains (high-yielding varieties) or late rains (faster ripening varieties), to be planted on specific soils and/or specific purposes. These local landraces are under threat by view commercial varieties. The proposed project aims to survey these local land races, the state of conservation of this important gene pool for future food security, especially under changing climatic conditions, and farmers’ practices to conserve such seed material. This project will have considerable implications regarding future food security in Namibia.


• Library services:
  One of the major constraints to botanical research (and biological and biodiversity research in general) in Namibia is the availability and access to scientific publications, in particular journals. As part of the RSSC project, it is hoped that access to electronic publications like Science Direct, Springer Link and other services can be established. The data basing of books and reprints within the MAN Müller Library also needs urgent attention.


• Infrastructure development:
  At present, the National Herbarium has reached its full capacity regarding the number of specimens. The collection halls have been designed for ca 60 000 specimens, at present the collection houses more than 90 000 specimens and is growing each year. Especially concerning involvement within the RSSC, it is likely that the number of specimens will increase dramatically, thus necessitating the expansion of the Herbarium facilities. Also to be accommodated are additional equipment (e.g. the proposed genetic bar-coding laboratory equipment), additional staff and project staff.
  
  A need also exists for the National Botanical Garden to construct an environmental education centre, to enhance its service delivery. This can all be included in the project. Suitable land for development is available.

Formal training lies outside the mandate of the NBRI, but in the past the NBRI has been involved in, and is willing within the context of the RSSC to continue with, the following training:

• On the job training for new staff members in various techniques
• Internship opportunities for graduate students. A typical model would be that such interns are attached to a specific project, collect field data for the project, and analyse such data as part of their Master’s studies. Such interns would be registered at a recognised southern African university for further qualifying training.
• Short courses and practical training in various techniques and skills (ranging from identification, collection, sampling to databasing and data analysis techniques) for staff, students and visitors, utilising in-house and collaborating expertise.
• Opportunities are also sought for further qualifying training for staff members.

Depending on funding and staff availability, the following services can be offered within the RSSC context:

• Providing data on Namibian species for web-based information services like the Photodatabase of southern African Plants.
• Training as spelled out above
• Plant identification services
• Limited web hosting services
• General advisory services
• Should infrastructure development materialise, the potential to host other collaborating institutions, visiting scientists and even the RSSC head office could be explored.

Next to numerous papers in local scientific/popular series and peer-reviewed journals, the following books can be mentioned: