By: Kandjengo kaMkwanyooka
The Cabinet has declared drought a national emergency and allocated around N$850 million for mitigation purposes.
However, the pressing question remains: how will we fill the food gap? Will we rely on international assistance from countries like Zambia and Zimbabwe, or are there local alternative options we should consider?
Climate change is here, and droughts are becoming increasingly frequent.
Why don’t we de-risk our nation from dependence on rain and international donors? Just because others are begging doesn’t mean we should follow suit. Let’s sit down, think, and strategise.
The Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) will begin a Livelihood Vulnerable Assessment and Analysis survey to assess the depth of food insecurity.
While I appreciate data-driven solutions and interventions, I challenge the reliance on outdated approaches to recurring problems.
The government typically assesses the situation and then rushes to South Africa to buy food or employs a voucher system that directs households to retailers and wholesalers who do not stock Namibian products.
Here are my suggestions for how we, as a country, should respond to this drought and the broader issue of climate change.
The Ministry of Agriculture should conduct a survey to determine what we can produce in the short term and the capacity of land irrigation at both commercial and subsistence levels.
This will help us understand how much we can produce during this difficult time and capitalise on this climatic catastrophe to build internal capacity, addressing our food insecurity issues. Moreover, this ensures that some of the drought mitigation budget stays in the country.
The capacity to produce exists; we just need to look within and depend on ourselves. Whenever an issue arises in Africa, we cry to the world, seeking help from donors with ulterior motives. Given the untapped potential of our agricultural sector, we must finally look within to solve this problem, as we should have done long ago.
The severity of the drought is well-known, as this is not the first time we have faced such conditions.
If you visit crop-producing regions, you will witness the dire situation firsthand. The key move is what we do this year and next year until the next harvest.
Can we finally de-risk our agricultural sector from rain dependence? We have four rivers and plenty of underground water.
Why are we not producing more under irrigation? Why are we calling on the international community for sympathy food when we have the necessary resources?
It’s economically embarrassing to seek international assistance for food when our population is less than 3.5 million people, and our country is larger than many of those we expect assistance from.
Namibia has everything needed to produce food under irrigation.
I urge the Ministry of Agriculture to assess our production capacity over the next three to four months, get the land working, and engage our young people in production.
Measuring the depth of food insecurity is insufficient if we cannot address it effectively. We must utilise our land, rivers, underground water, and unemployed youth to produce food for ourselves. Cabinet declared drought an emergency, but will we invoke emergency procurement and look outside for food?
For the first time in our history, let’s look within ourselves and utilise our untapped agricultural potential to supply our food. In doing so, we will build the capacity and capability we need in the agricultural sector.
Economies are built during crises, and potential capacity is often unlocked in such circumstances.
I propose that the Cabinet issue a directive that 60% of the drought food be procured locally. This will mobilise young people to work and produce in places like Etunda, Sadikongoro, Kalimbeza, and Orip, knowing there are off-takers. In the process, we will build the future capability we desperately need in agriculture.
Agriculture Minister Calle Schlettwein has vividly outlined the situation in his budgetary statements.
It’s time for the Cabinet to act, using their power not only to minimise the impact but also to build internal capacity. After 33 years, we cannot keep counting the hungry and running outside to buy food.
Our strategy should be to utilise our resources and produce adequately, even in times of inadequate rainfall.
It’s up to us, OPM, the Ministry of Agriculture, and Cabinet: Are we sending money outside, or can we look within and start working?
gerastus16@gmail.com
