Planning Commission, World Food Programme launch country strategic plan
The World Food Programme (WFP), in partnership with the National Planning Commission, has launched its five-year Country Strategic Plan (CSP). The CSP supports the government in its drive to meet Sustainable Development Goal 2 – Zero Hunger.
The aim is to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture in Namibia by 2030.
The National Planning Commission, which coordinates Namibia’s development agenda, has been key in promoting Namibia’s path towards zero hunger.
“The Government is committed to ending hunger and improving food security by ensuring that the necessary policies and programmes are in place for this to happen,” says the Deputy Minister of Economic Planning and National Planning Commission, the Hon. Lucia Iipumbu.
The goal of zero hunger is cemented in Namibia’s development policies and frameworks, specifically the Fifth National Development Plan; the Harambee Prosperity Plan; the Blue Print on Wealth Redistribution and Poverty Eradication; and the Zero Hunger Road Map.
“Namibia needs strategic partnerships to help it achieve zero hunger,” said WFP Country Representative Jennifer Bitonde.
“WFP will help link Namibia with other countries that have achieved zero hunger in our lifetime so they can share lessons and information on how to eliminate hunger,” she added.
The strategy is set to support the government in designing and implementing effective food and nutrition security programmes to accelerate progress towards zero hunger and reach the most vulnerable through partnerships with UN agencies and the private sector.
It will focus on food-based safety nets such as school feeding, the Urban Food Bank and scaling up emergency response mechanisms, food and nutrition security analysis, evidence building and policy coordination.
WFP is the world’s largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. Each year, WFP assists some 80 million people in around 80 countries.
