The Orange River serves as part of the border between Namibia and South Africa. Along the river’s banks, roughly 60 miles inland from where it empties into the Atlantic, irrigation projects take advantage of water from the river and soils from the floodplains to grow produce, turning parts of a normally earth-toned landscape emerald green. A network of bright rectangles of varying shades of green contrasts with surroundings of grey, beige, tan and rust. Grapes are the primary agricultural product of this area. Thanks to local climatic conditions, grapes from Namibia are often ready for market two to three weeks before those in South Africa’s Cape.
Photograph: Ali/EO-1/Nasa
The Guardian
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