Hunger to hit hard
WINDHOEK
ELLANIE SMIT
Hunger has become the next massive impact of the coronavirus outbreak in Namibia, with the number of food-insecure Namibians expected to rise from an already staggering 700 000 citizens who are struggling to feed themselves and their families.
“Look at the informal sector, the number of people dependent on selling kapana, liquor and fresh produce that were closed for a time. The owners of those businesses and their workers received no income. That adds to the number of people that are food insecure,” says agriculture ministry executive director Percy Misika.
With more than 700 000 people classified as food insecure due to prolonged droughts in the country, this number will only get worse, said Misika.
Harvests interrupted
Speaking during a discussion yesterday on the impact of the coronavirus on the agriculture sector, Misika said the virus reached Namibia during March, when harvesting was under way.
Farmers who were unable to harvest their crops will not have their own produce to satisfy their household needs.
That will result in even more people becoming food insecure.
Drought effects
Misika was quick to add that not all food insecurity can be blamed on the pandemic.
“The sector is still recovering from the three-year drought that it experienced, much more than from the coronavirus.”
He said communal farmers are the most vulnerable when there is any shock in the production system or in the value chain, either by a natural disaster or by a manmade disaster.
“They are starting from a base where they do not have the requisite resources in terms of equipment, production inputs and expertise. When you have a shock like the coronavirus, this brings in limitations to produce more and this goes on to affect household food security.”
He added that agriculture is a labour-intensive sector and when there is a shock of this nature that limits the gathering of people on the farm for production such as ploughing or weeding, then it affects the level of production.
ELLANIE SMIT
Hunger has become the next massive impact of the coronavirus outbreak in Namibia, with the number of food-insecure Namibians expected to rise from an already staggering 700 000 citizens who are struggling to feed themselves and their families.
“Look at the informal sector, the number of people dependent on selling kapana, liquor and fresh produce that were closed for a time. The owners of those businesses and their workers received no income. That adds to the number of people that are food insecure,” says agriculture ministry executive director Percy Misika.
With more than 700 000 people classified as food insecure due to prolonged droughts in the country, this number will only get worse, said Misika.
Harvests interrupted
Speaking during a discussion yesterday on the impact of the coronavirus on the agriculture sector, Misika said the virus reached Namibia during March, when harvesting was under way.
Farmers who were unable to harvest their crops will not have their own produce to satisfy their household needs.
That will result in even more people becoming food insecure.
Drought effects
Misika was quick to add that not all food insecurity can be blamed on the pandemic.
“The sector is still recovering from the three-year drought that it experienced, much more than from the coronavirus.”
He said communal farmers are the most vulnerable when there is any shock in the production system or in the value chain, either by a natural disaster or by a manmade disaster.
“They are starting from a base where they do not have the requisite resources in terms of equipment, production inputs and expertise. When you have a shock like the coronavirus, this brings in limitations to produce more and this goes on to affect household food security.”
He added that agriculture is a labour-intensive sector and when there is a shock of this nature that limits the gathering of people on the farm for production such as ploughing or weeding, then it affects the level of production.
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