The subproject on development communication in a Herero speaking community in the communal area of Omatjete in Central-East Namibia focuses on two groups: The Tjohorongo-Kondjee-Farmers' Association, and various community based organizations of the village Omutiuanduko. Both groups profited in one or the other way from the development project SARDEP (Sustainable Animal Range Development Project) of the GTZ and the MAWRD (Ministry of Water, Agriculture and Rural Development) in the 1990s up to 2004. In its wake we are interested in the sustainability of these local community based organizations. Sustainability is assessed in terms of communicative sustainability, for instance, the ability of the group to organize meetings, install and sustain the position of chairperson, make and keep rules of proceedings, develop problem solving mechanisms. While the organizational needs and resources of a regional farmers' association differ from those of village based organizations, the above mentioned communicative stability pertains to both.

While we research and assess the robustness and stability of these organizations, we feed back to them the insights we gain, for instance through discussions, reports and workshops. Processes of change are thus made transparent to all stakeholders. Further, we can keep close track of such change, as it is interpreted locally and within the research project.