The Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform (MAWLR) on Thursday stated that the country received below normal rainfall with a delay in the onset of rain, since the beginning of 2022/23 season.

In a Crop Prospect, Food Security and Drought situation report issued to Nampa on Friday, MAWLR Executive Director (ED), Ndiyakupi Nghituwamata stated that most parts of the country only received productive rainfall in January.

“In addition to sporadic and insufficient rainfall patterns that have dominated the season, the country noted severe and prolonged dry spells in December, February, March and April, which led to poor agricultural production and pasture establishment,” Nghituwamata said.

The ED stated that the aggregate cereal analysis showed that the country has recorded 153 000 Metric Tons (MT), which is 9 per cent lower than the last season’s harvest of 168 200 MT, but 23 per cent above 10 years’ average production of 124 200 MT.

Furthermore, a considerable number of households in the key communal crop producing regions have reported a depletion of their harvest from the previous season, and they are now relying mainly on the market and drought relief food in some regions for sustenance, she said.

Due to the findings of the assessment among others, recommendations were made for possible interventions and future assistance, such as that Government through the Office of the Prime Minister should continue with the provision of the drought relief measures to households faced with food insecurity in Kunene, parts of Omusati and Erongo, Omaheke, ||Kharas and Hardap, until situations normalise.

According to Nghituwamata, another recommendation made was for the government to consider the roll-out of drought relief interventions (food assistance and the Livestock Support Programme) across the remaining eight regions, including the entire Omusati and Erongo regions.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency