On Tuesday, Namibia declared a state of emergency in response to severe drought conditions affecting all 14 regions of the country.
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Rhingo Mutambo, chief public relations officer in the Office of the Prime Minister, said in a statement released on Tuesday that the drought poses a threat to the livelihoods of affected households, and this necessitates relief interventions to alleviate its negative impact.
According to Mutambo, additional resources are required to complement the government's budget of 825 million Namibian dollars (about 45 million U.S. dollars) allocated for the drought relief program in the 2024/2025 financial year.
He called on the private sector, development partners and the international community to assist the government with additional resources to fully implement the drought relief program and protect lives and livelihoods.
Namibia declared a state of emergency due to severe drought in 2013, 2016, 2019, and now 2024.
These droughts have significantly impacted the economy, particularly agriculture, leading to reduced crop yields, massive livestock losses, and increased food insecurity, as exemplified by the 2019 drought that resulted in nearly 100,000 livestock deaths and record-low agricultural production.