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Current and past settlement strategies in Central North Namibia are explored with historical aerial photographs, maps of indigenous land units (ILUs), GIS analysis, field observations and interviews on indigenous knowledge to improve understanding of livelihood strategies, described as an agro-sylvi-pastoral system. The objective is to assess the role of ILUs, indigenous fruit trees and termites in human settlement. Livelihood strategies take into account unpredictability of the semi-arid environment by having high diversity of ILUs on farm, not by selecting a certain elevation above water level as previously suggested. ILUs are classified according to hydrological properties and other aspects. Farming practices like kraal and homestead rotation and selection of ILUs with pronounced termite activity for cropping are suggested to maintain soil fertility. Selection of termite-rich areas causes a trade-off with homestead longevity and homesteads are located at least termite rich ILUs, but are encroached upon by termites. The amount and distribution of more fertile ILUs causes a trade-off between grazing and cropping when enclosed for farming. It is suggested that indigenous fruit tree species have been encouraged indirectly to grow on farm. It is shown that some fruit tree species never occurred in the area before. This is in contrast with the general view that fruit trees are left when farmers clear land. While some indigenous farming practices may degrade the land, this paper demonstrates that others don’t. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.