Household food insecurity grips: Report highlights worsening conditions
The country is grappling with a deepening household food security crisis, as revealed by the latest Agricultural Inputs and Household Food Security Monitoring Report for December 2023.
The report underscores the alarming situation in crop-producing regions, where households are increasingly reliant on the market and the government Drought Relief Food Program to secure access to food.
According to the report, for most households interviewed, last season’s harvest which was being supplemented with market purchases depleted between September and November 2023.
The report further noted that Southern, eastern, and central Namibia, dominated by livestock farmers, are also experiencing a poor household food security situation due to the lingering effects of the last season’s drought.
“This has presented a significant risk to those who depend on livestock rearing since the pasture in these parts of the country is depleted and inadequate to sustain their livestock,” the report said.
According to the Namibia 2023 Vulnerability Assessment and Analysis report, about 579,000 people (22% of the population) are faced with high levels of acute food insecurity and require urgent action to reduce food gaps and protect livelihoods.
The report projects that by March 2024, this number could rise to 26% of the population, affecting around 695,000 people, with the most impacted regions being Kavango West, Kavango East, Omaheke, Ohangwena, Kharas, Zambezi, Otjozondjupa, Khomas, Oshana, Omusati, Oshikoto, and Kunene.
The latest report said the root causes of Namibia’s deteriorating food security include drought, erratic rainfall, flash floods, price shocks, economic decline, and unemployment.
Responding to the crisis, the government has since initiated a comprehensive nationwide drought humanitarian relief assistance food program spanning from October 2023 to June 2024.
Targeting households in both rural and urban areas affected by the drought, the program includes criteria disqualifying certain vulnerable groups, like old-age pensioners, from receiving benefits.
Meanwhile, the latest report recommended that the government through the Office of the Prime Minister, should continue with the provision of drought relief measures to households that are faced with food insecurity in all 14 regions until the situation normalizes and the Office of the Prime Minister reviews the eligibility criteria for the provision of drought relief food for more than one pensioner living in the same house.
