Vulnerable nomadic communities difficult to assist amidst drought crisis

Niël Terblanché

Marginalized communities in Namibia, particularly nomadic groups, are facing severe difficulties in receiving essential food aid.

Rebekka Namwandi, the Deputy Director of marginalized communities in the Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication, and Social Welfare, reiterated the challenges in distributing food parcels to these communities.

She added that the nomadic lifestyle of some communities has hindered the effective allocation and delivery of food assistance.

In light of these challenges, Namwandi stressed the importance of utilizing various communication channels, including radio broadcasts, to inform these communities about the availability of food parcels.

However, she also acknowledged the limitations of this approach as many communities in these remote locations do not have access to radios or newspapers.

The food insecurity crisis in Namibia has been exacerbated by recent climatic conditions.

This has negatively impacted crop yields, livestock conditions, and household food stocks, making the situation more dire for marginalized communities.

The government, through the Office of the Prime Minister, has initiated a drought relief programme to provide food assistance and water to affected households across the country.

This programme is part of a broader effort to address the severe acute food insecurity that approximately 695,000 people (or about 172,000 households) are expected to face between October 2023 and March 2024.

The programme, which includes the distribution of essential food items like maize meal, cooking oil, and soup, is a critical step in mitigating the impact of the drought.

Despite these efforts, there have been concerns about the sufficiency of the aid provided.

In some regions, officials have reported that the distributed quantities may not be adequate to meet the needs of larger families. For instance, a family of more than six people might require at least six bags of maize meal, six bottles of cooking oil, and 12 tins of fish to sustain them for a month.

To bolster these efforts, international support has also been forthcoming. For example, Chevron has donated N$6.6 million for programs by USAID to mitigate drought and food insecurity in Namibia.

These funds are vital in supplementing the government’s efforts to provide relief to the drought-stricken communities.

The Office of the Prime Minister has repeatedly stressed that the situation calls for a concerted effort from all sectors, including government, civic society, and international partners, to ensure that the most vulnerable, including nomadic communities, receive the necessary support during this challenging time.