1 Namibia: 730 000 Namibians Face Food Insecurity
Windhoek — Up  to 730 000 of Namibia’s rural population are expected to be food insecure by early next year, up by more than 150 000 from the current 578 000 inhabitants who rely on food aid in the 2015/16 financial year.

According to the latest SADC Vulnerability Assessment Committee Results, 57 percent of Namibia’s rural population of 1.3 million is currently food insecure. The report noted that 1.66 million tonnes of maize will be required for immediate food assistance in the SADC region over the next few months, up until March 2017. The vulnerability assessment and analysis indicate the current drought has impacted not only on food security, but also on other sectors such as water, health and nutrition, and livestock, amongst others. Meanwhile, the government has implemented interim food assistance to 600 000 beneficiaries between May and July 2016, while a comprehensive drought relief programme started from August 2016 and will last until March 2017. Interventions from government to be implemented include livestock marketing incentives, subsidies for ploughing services, free seeds distribution, rehabilitation of boreholes and lying of water pipelines.

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