Most deserts have oasis where humans and animals find nourishment for their physical needs. These special places demonstrate nature’s unexpected abundance and the creative ability of humans to produce sustenance in harsh conditions. Given this tradition of naming places in deserts the early settlers of the Kalahari SEMI-desert may be forgiven for choosing the name Oasis for a farm 25 km South of Ghanzi near the Western border of Botswana with Namibia. The extension of the Kalahari towards the North is more bushveld savannah than desert and when one travels across the 18 832 hectare farm the diversity and abundant growth of grass, shrubs and trees and the absence of a “special water hole” asks for a nontraditional association with the term oasis. The long-term average rainfall here is 420 mm but over the last 8 years there were differences between 210 and 696 mm.

Rather than creating magic around an insular water point, the owners and managers of Oasis have engaged the whole landscape to achieve rangeland and livestock production and personal satisfaction. Many times one hears people say “If you still need convincing that management is THE critical factor in the productivity of rangelands observe the expansion of brachiaria negropedata (swartvootjie gras) in the Kalahari sand at Oasis.”

Stocking approximately 80 kg of live animal mass per hectare in the Kalahari bushveld savannah is regarded crazy by most – unless you have seen the veld and the herd of healthy, beautiful Beef Master cattle at Oasis. In 1998 they ran a maximum of 1900 head of animals on the 18,800 hectares. By 2003 it was 3200 and in 2010 the number has risen to 4170. Between 2003 and 2009 the profit per marketing unit went from 100 – 350, the profit per hectare went from 15-45, and the increase in net worth quadrupled.

All of this success has been achieved while simultaneously enhancing ecological health.