Two major deserts bound Namibia, the Namib lying along the entire western coast and the Kalahari on the southern and east-central border with Botswana. Namibia's colonial status was institutionalized by European powers in the mid-1800s, and the country did not achieve independence for another 100 years. Namibia is the most arid country south of the Sahara Desert.
Drought is always a possibility and the lack of water is an ever-present constraint.
Potential for arable agriculture is limited to the north where water is less scarce. The central regions are confined to livestock farming while in the more arid south, only extensive sheep and goat farming is possible. The 1998 Namibia Human Development report indicates that Namibian society is one of the most unequal in the world. Overview of CRS in Namibia CRS' programming is based on the principles of Catholic Social Teachings to alleviate suffering and promote human dignity within poor and disenfranchised communities. CRS' activities in Namibia seek to increase the ability of the poor to control their lives socially, economically and politically.