Editorial: Food security cannot depend on emergency relief

Namibia's latest food insecurity figures offer some encouragement, but they also expose a troubling reality. Despite improved rainfall and agricultural production, an estimated 612 000 people were projected to face acute food insecurity during the 2025/26 lean season.The decline from 1.26 million people during the previous lean season is significant. However, a country cannot measure progress only by how many people have escaped hunger temporarily, particularly when the next drought could reverse those gains.Government food assistance reached an estimated 1.4 million Namibians, demonstrating the scale of intervention required. Emergency relief remains necessary, but it cannot become a permanent substitute for productive agriculture and reliable household incomes.The government must prioritise functioning irrigation schemes, accessible markets for small-scale farmers, dependable water infrastructure and agricultural support that continues beyond drought emergencies. Community gardens must produce measurable harvests rather than merely provide evidence of projects launched.Food security also depends on employment. Families with reliable incomes are better equipped to withstand poor harvests and rising prices.Namibia needs to move from repeatedly feeding vulnerable households to building an economy in which fewer families require food assistance.

Editorial: Food security cannot depend on emergency relief

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Namibian Sun 2026-10-29

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Editorial: Food security cannot depend on emergency relief

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Namibian Sun 2026-10-29

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