by Daniëlle Cronjé, 4 March 2025.

For our 2025 Inception Karoo Field Trip, we visited a region some have described as a barren ‘wasteland.’ Yet, as we learnt on this field trip, the Karoo region is far from an empty and underdeveloped landscape. It offers all sorts of natural resource and sustainable development possibilities, including those that involve the preservation of cultural heritage and nature. 

Our programme included visits to Laingsburg, Graaff-Reinet, Aberdeen, Beaufort West, and Prince Albert. Each town offered insights into the complex and cosmopolitan character of the Karoo, as well as the harsh realities of arid and semi-arid zones. We also encountered creative responses to these conditions.    

During the trip, students visited museums, interacted with conservation and social justice activists, and reflected on the impact of climate and environmental changes on these rural towns.

Below are the reflections of students, highlighting key takeaways and the impact of this trip on their research.