Red Cross visits projects in Zambezi

A representative of the Spanish Red Cross visited the Zambezi Region last week to assess the efficiency of projects that promote food security. These projects run under the auspices of the Namibia Red Cross Society with the support and assistance of the Spanish Agency for International Development, and the Spanish Red Cross.

The Spanish Red Cross delegate, Mrs MaríaLuz Sánchez, was accompanied by the Spanish Ambassador, H. E. Mrs. Carmen Díez, the Director of the Agency for International Development, Mrs. Carmen Sendino, and the Secretary General of the Namibia Red Cross Society, Mrs. Dorkas Kapembe-Haiduwa. The group visited several villages and talked to project beneficiaries in the framework of the “Rural Community Development Project” funded by agency up to 2013.
Caprivian communities are historically vulnerable to the recurrent floods and droughts of the region. Through the implementation of the project, their resilience was strengthened and their livehood improved.
The delegation then visited the project that the Namibia Red Cross Society is implementing for the period 2014-2015 with the support of the Spanish Red Cross. This project has introduced a component of climate change adaptation.
In collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry, a number of leading farmers are trained in conservation agriculture. Given the current dry conditions, it is hoped that these farmers will benefits from higher yields when harvesting is over.
In Malundu Village in the Sibbinda district the Ambassador had the opportunity to see the results of these improved dryland sowing when she visited the crop field of one of the progressive farmers who opted to implement the new techniques.
The Ambassador said she can see that the partnership between the Namibia Red Cross Society and the Spanish Red Cross, plays an important role to mitigate climate change.