N$1.8 billion drought relief programme ends

Namibia’s largest drought relief programme to date, totalling N$1.86 billion, has officially come to an end.Prime Minister Dr Elijah Ngurare last week told the National Assembly that the programme is being phased out due to improved rainfall and harvests across the country, which have restored food and grazing security in most regions.“The 2024/25 drought relief programme is hereby officially called off,” Ngurare declared. “Given the favourable rainfall received and improved grazing conditions, households are now sufficiently sustained until the next harvesting season.”Launched in July 2024 following a state of emergency declaration by then-President Nangolo Mbumba, the programme aimed to mitigate the impact of the most severe drought in recent Namibian history. It reached 384 935 households, equivalent to 1.4 million people, across all 14 regions.Government support included monthly food baskets, distribution of beef and game meat, livestock support, seed and horticulture provision and the drilling of boreholes. According to Ngurare, the bulk of the funding, N$1.47 billion, went towards food assistance, while the remainder supported logistics, livestock subsidies, water projects and agricultural inputs.Despite early logistical challenges such as food delivery delays and transport shortages, Ngurare said government, regional councils and development partners “remained committed to ensuring assistance reached the most vulnerable households.”However, not all went smoothly. Six cases of food theft were reported in Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa, Ohangwena, Kavango West and Zambezi regions, which are currently under investigation by the Namibian Police.“We instituted stringent measures, and any wrongdoing has been referred to the authorities,” the prime minister explained last week. Top beneficiariesAccording to official data, Ohangwena, Omaheke, Omusati Kavango East and West households were among the biggest beneficiaries of the drought relief effort, both in terms of the number of households supported and claims paid under the livestock subsidy programme.Omaheke region alone accounted for 9 507 claims under the livestock support scheme, the highest number countrywide, totalling a N$39 million payout. This included support for the sale of livestock, purchase of fodder, leasing of grazing land and transport.Ohangwena recorded the highest number of households supported through food assistance, at 48 761, followed by Omusati with 46 920 and Kavango East with 45 969. Kavango West assisted 32 925 households, while 28 485 households in the Oshikoto region received support.“These numbers reflect the hard realities communities faced on the ground,” Ngurare said. “It was imperative that our response matched the scale of the crisis.”Wildlife and meat distributionIn an effort to provide fresh meat, the government distributed frozen beef through Meatco and culled wildlife as part of destocking initiatives led by the environment ministry.A total of 71 elephants were culled in eight regions, yielding approximately 142 000 kg of meat, while other wildlife species added 157 550 kg.“Protein provision was vital. It allowed us to diversify the food basket and reduce reliance on imported supplies while supporting communal farmers in offloading drought-stricken livestock," Ngurare said.The drought relief programme saw the implementation of the Commodity and Beneficiaries Management Information System (CBMIS), a digital voucher-based system that allowed beneficiaries to redeem food items at contracted small businesses. The system, operational in nine regions, facilitated over 144 000 redemptions from April to June this year through 493 contracted retailers.“This digital innovation improved efficiency, reduced abuse, and ensured that aid reached the right hands at the right time,” Ngurare added.Global assistance The Office of the Prime Minister also acknowledged the contribution of over N$160 million from international donors, including China, Qatar, India, Algeria and Malaysia, as well as the European Union, among others. Cash and food parcels were donated, while N$26 million was channelled through development partners such as the World Food Programme and the Namibian Red Cross Society.Crisis to resilience With improved crop yields and pasture availability, government now plans to pivot to long-term resilience building. This includes drilling additional boreholes, investing in water infrastructure such as the Omuntele–Ondangwa and Ohamaremba–Okanguati pipelines, and promoting agricultural diversification.“Namibia must move from crisis management to resilience,” Ngurare stressed. “This will require coordinated investment in infrastructure, early warning systems, and community preparedness.”The final food distributions to clear remaining backlogs are expected to be completed by 31 August.

N$1.8 billion drought relief programme ends

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Namibian Sun 2026-03-04

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N$1.8 billion drought relief programme ends

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Namibian Sun 2026-03-04

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