This report documents the livelihood strategies of rural communities in southern Namibia, a region characterised by extreme aridity and heavy dependence on natural resources. With over 60% of Namibia’s population living in rural areas, the study highlights how communities adapt to scarce and variable resources through diverse livelihood activities. Since independence, Community‑Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) has become central to conservation and rural development, supported by the Nature Conservation Amendment Act of 1996, which devolved partial authority over wildlife and natural resources to communal communities through the establishment of conservancies. The study focuses on three communal areas Oskop Conservancy, the Kalkplateau emerging conservancy, and the Nico-Noord community project examining local livelihood activities, natural resource use, and community-based initiatives. Findings contribute to understanding how rural households navigate environmental constraints while engaging in conservancy‑linked and community-based economic activities.