FAO Namibia Newsletter, 2Nd Semester 2020

FAO Namibia Newsletter 2nd Semester 2020 — Issue #2

Jonas Musheko Jonas FAO/

FAO Capacitates Government Efforts to Control Locust Outbreak

Message from the FAO Representative and bring down the numbers of food insecure populations is absolutely essential. The third quarter of 2020 continued to be busy for FAO Namibia with much effort being invested in, inter alia, Happy reading! mitigating the effects of the drought that persists in western and southern parts of Namibia. With a farming system dominated by livestock production, it goes without saying that most of FAO efforts would go towards ensuring survival of livestock resources.

To this end, we concluded much needed assistance towards rehabilitating and modernising water infrastructure. We also continued support towards FAO/Louis FAO/Louis Kandjii sustainable livestock feed production and veterinary © support across five of the most drought affected Regions of the country. All made possible through the generous support of Government of the Republic of Korea and the UN Central Emergency Response Fund. Ms. Farayi Zimudzi, FAO Representative in Namibia

Sadly, yet the sector has been dealing with yet another shock – the outbreak of African Migratory and Red Locusts. HIGHLIGHTS Efforts continue to strengthen national response, surveillance and reporting capacities. With the rainfall season just a few weeks away, it’s all hands on deck to • FAO helps government fight locusts bring the situation under control, so as to avert decimation of crops and pastures. • Support for IPC analysis • Korea funded project brings relief Finally, we are pleased to having contributed to the second IPC (Integrated Food Security Phase Classification) analysis. Strong partnership to support national efforts to assess

FAO supports fight against African Armed with a vehicle mounted pesticide sprayer, the team dived straight into the purpose of the mission, marking the Migratory and Red Locusts in the area targeted for spraying as well as alerting the local Zambezi Region herders of their planned activity.

Thereafter the spraying began, with the team covering nearly 3 to 5 hectares, and the entire process lasting not more than 10 minutes.

The pesticide used by the spraying team was clearly effective as the locusts began to die shortly after a few

minutes.

Although it is a costly and time consuming exercise, Dorthea Shiimi, an Agricultural Extension Officer based in

Kongola in the Zambezi region, believes that the careful FAO/Phillipus Tobias FAO/Phillipus

© and sparing use of the environmentally friendly pesticide is the best option to defeat the locusts. A senior official from MAWLR, Paulina Shilunga, addresses Agricultural Extension Officers in Sanzo cattle outpost. “The aim is to prevent unwanted casualties and ensure that the environment is kept safe as we wage war to bring these Numerous teams of Agricultural Extension Officers are on dangerous pests under control,” she said. the frontlines battling the outbreaks of African Migratory and Red Locusts (AML & RL) in various parts of the Zambezi The main challenge that government was facing in region, following reports of the second wave of swarming subduing the outbreak was the lack of manpower on the activities in Zambezi and especially in surrounding flood ground and limited financial funding. Consequently, the plains since June 2020. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), alongside other partners, has stepped in to assist by The widespread AML/RL hopper bands and mobile swarms capacitating government to deploy more teams on the are mostly in the flood-prone areas of Kabbe North and ground. South as well as Katima Rural, and are threatening fields during the upcoming main planting season. FAO has also availed extra quantities of the bio-pesticide Novacrid, and supported plans to strengthen government’s

surveillance and monitoring systems.

FAO/Phillipus Tobias

The teams deployed to control the locust outbreaks consist of around 410 Extension Officers from different regions of A swarm of Red Locusts locusts in Kasaya cattle outpost. the country, with every team member working diligently to FAO Namibia National Project Coordinator, Gift bring the perilous situation under control. Kamupingene, who was part of the team that visited the affected area is optimistic that the fight will be won, One of these teams recently undertook a spraying mission especially if all stakeholders join forces to fight the to Sanzo and Kasaya, cattle outposts located near the outbreak. Zambezi River in the Kabbe South Constituency. Kasaya outpost is the more heavily affected of the two outposts, “FAO Namibia will continue to play an active role to with swarms of locusts easily noticeable from a distance as complement government efforts to bring the situation they blanket the vegetation in the area. under control and aims to strengthen capacities at both

| 2 |

national and local levels for better preparedness in future,” he said.

According to the Namibia Meteorological Office, AML and RL hotspot areas are expected to receive above-average

rainfall in the 2020/21 season because of the forecasted la Niña event.

A good rainfall season characterized by above-average

rainfall, this could potentially accelerate locust FAO/Phillipus Tobias

multiplication and increase the threat to crops, grazing and © livelihoods. A situation that could worsen the already fragile food and nutrition security situation of particularly vulnerable households in Namibia. Agricultural Extension Officers receiving training on how to calibrate pesticide spraying equipment.

Agricultural Extension Officers Receive Some of the important topics covered included, but not Training on Controlling African limited to: aspects such as considerations and clues to identify the locusts; how to properly mark the areas for Migratory Locusts spraying of pesticides; timing of spraying the locusts; various safety measures to ensure safety in the field during spraying as well as how to prepare and calibrate the various spraying equipment such as the knapsack and vehicle-mounted pesticide sprayers.

Other additional considerations highlighted during the training pertains to raising the necessary awareness by first

consulting local level leadership structures as well as pay special attention to ecologically sensitive areas before embarking on spraying.

Speaking during the training, Ms. Paulina Shilunga, a Plant FAO/Phillipus Tobias © Health Expert in the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, reminded the Extension Officers that fighting Agricultural Extension Officers standing in a flood plain area after surveying it for locusts. the swarms of locusts does not entail eradicating them but is rather a containment measure to ensure that they are A group of 30 Agricultural Extension Officers from various brought under control while ensuring a functional regions across the country recently received a Trainer of ecosystem. Trainees (TOT) training on containment measures to control the outbreak of African Migratory Locusts (AML) “Locusts are still important to our biodiversity despite the and Red Locusts (RL) that are posing a serious threat to danger that they pose, and we should therefore not aim to livelihoods in the Zambezi region. destroy them but rather seek to bring them under control,” she said. The first of a series of practical training sessions took place in Kabbe at the Kabbe South Constituency Office, about 70 In an effort to support the Namibian Government in its kilometres south-east of Katima Mulilo. The first session quest to bring the locusts under control, the Food and was facilitated by experts from the Plant Health Division Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) within the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform provided both technical and financial assistance to MAWLR (MAWLR). to ensure the training and deployment of an extra group of technical staff comprising of mainly Extension Officers to reinforce the ongoing battle against the locusts. The training included both theoretical and practical aspects meant to equip the Extension Officers with the relevant knowledge and skills on tackling the locust outbreak within Elvid Nguripo Upendura, an Agricultural Extension Officer the worst-hit Zambezi region, and the broader crop from Otjinene in the Omaheke region expressed his growing regions. satisfaction with the training, stating that he found the •

| 3 |

Drought-affected Communities in Namibia”, which commenced in February of this year.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, Ms. Farayi Zimudzi, FAO Namibia Representative, highlighted the need for innovative agricultural practices such as hydroponics to counter challenges caused by the negative climate change effects across the world. “The frequent occurrence of natural disasters such as droughts across many parts of the world, including Namibia, due to climate change has

FAO/Phillipus Tobias necessitated the use of innovative techniques to counter © these adverse effects,” she said.

An Agricultural Extension Officer carries a pesticide sprayer during the training session. training very helpful in refreshing his knowledge in terms of using the pesticide spraying equipment as well as in preparing the Extension staff for the challenging task at hand.

“I am looking forward to the challenge of helping to control the outbreak of locusts in the Zambezi region, especially since they not only posing a huge threat to the food security situation in the region but to the country as a whole,’ said Elvid.

Governors of the //Kharas and Hardap regions are joined by the FAOR ©FAO/Phillipus Tobias Earlier this month, FAO stated that the outbreaks of African during a demonstration of how s hydroponic fodder production structure works. Migratory Locust and Red Locust are threatening the food security and livelihoods of millions of people in the four affected countries in Southern Africa, especially in The project is proving relief to livestock-based livelihoods countries namely, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and through supplementary feeding by setting up hydroponic Zimbabwe which are hardest hit by the outbreaks. fodder production systems and the provision of veterinary vaccines and medicine in seven targeted Regions of the country. Despite delays in the implementation of the In addition, FAO is working with the Southern African project due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic she said, Development Community (SADC) and the International FAO is confident that the critical assistance undertaken by Red Locust Control Organization for Central and Southern the project will soon reach farmers. Africa (IRLCO-CSA) to support the governments of the affected countries to control the locusts in an effective and coordinated manner. The FAO Namibia Representative further encouraged beneficiary farmers to make full use of the availed structures in order for their livestock to benefit from them FAO hands over greenhouse hydroponic for years to come and thereafter praised the collaborative efforts between FAO, the Namibian Government and fodder production structures to Hardap partner agencies for working hand-in-hand to promote and //Kharas regions food security and eradicate poverty. “Together with our partners and stakeholders, we remain committed to Farmers from the drought hit southern regions of Hardap continue to work together in the attainment of a better life and //Kharas recently received greenhouse hydroponic for all!” fodder production structures and veterinary supplies from the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United The //Kharas Region Governor Ms. Aletha Frederick Nations (FAO). thanked FAO and its implementing partners for coming to the rescue of farmers in both regions. “It is my firm belief The structures and veterinary items were availed as part of that the livelihoods of farmers in the south will improve the drought relief support efforts initiated through the immensely because of this project,” she said. United Nations (UN) Central Emergency Relief Fund (CERF) funded project called “Emergency Livelihood Support to

| 4 |

the Namibia National Farmers Union (NNFU), which is an implementing partner of the project.

The CERF funded project is set to end in October of this

year.

Training on data analysis and report

writing for Integrated Phase FAO/Phillipus Tobias © Classification for Acute Food Insecurity in Namibia receives support from FAO

An Agricultural Extension Officer seen holding barley seeds.

Also speaking at the ceremony, Hardap Region Governor Salomon April described the CERF funded project as a hallmark of the joint efforts between government and its partner agencies such as FAO. “This is a commendable project indeed, and I hope that [beneficiary] farmers will take ownership of it and ensure its sustainability in the

long-run,” he said. FAO/Mbapeua Karutjaiva One of the local chiefs, Deputy Kaptein Stephanus Goliath © of the !Hai-Khana community in //Kharas region could not contain his joy when asked about how he felt about the project. “Our people have been crying to us as their leaders to get such opportunities in order to save their few Participants of the workshop look on during a presentation. remaining livestock, this project comes at a perfect time and indeed it has potential to help our people immensely,” FAO has provided both technical and financial assistance to he said. Kaptein Goliath went on to call for a swift support the monitoring of vulnerabilities through the implementation of the remaining project activities. “We rollout of the second Integrated Phase Classification (IPC) need this implemented as soon as possible so our people for Acute Food Insecurity in Namibia. can have some reprieve,” he concluded. This assistance came at the request of the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) in early June of this year and was initiated in the form of a two-week long workshop that was hosted in the southern town of Keetmanshoop from 20 July to 31 July.

The OPM through the Namibia Vulnerability Assessment Committee (NamVAC) conducts vulnerability assessment and analysis for monitoring livelihoods, food and nutrition security of the population on a biannual basis.

NamVAC collects data on several indicators that informs ©FAO/Phillipus Tobias the IPC and this year it also contained questions on Food Barley growing in a hydroponic fodder production structure. Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) tool that have been customised to understand the impact of COVID-19 on food The handover ceremony, which took place at Gellap-Ost and nutrition security. Agricultural Research Station, situated a few kilometres outside of Keetmanshoop, saw FAO availing to each region The analysis is carried out to assess the post-drought food 11 greenhouse fodder production structures, 165 bags of and nutrition situation as well as the impact of COVID-19 50 Kg barley seeds, cooler boxes, vaccines, syringes and on food security and livelihoods. The rollout of the second vitamin supplements for both cattle and small stock. IPC Acute Food Insecurity Classification analysis further Additionally, 18 Agricultural Extension Officers from the aims to identify targeted interventions for response. Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform (MAWLR) also received training on the hydroponic structures from

| 5 |

It is against this background that FAO Namibia supported NSA receives donation of Personal the Office of the Prime Minister in conducting the Vulnerability Assessment and Analysis round 1 for the year Protective Equipment (PPE) from FAO 2020 to carry out the second IPC analysis for Namibia. This process drew on the expertise of the IPC Global Support

Unit.

During the IPC Level 1 version 3.0, training and analysis was facilitated to a group of 38 members from NamVAC, comprised of regional data collectors, representatives

from regional authorities and staff from key ministries.

FAO/Phillipus Tobias ©

FAOR, Ms. Farayi Zimudzi and NSA Statistics General, Alex Shimuafeni,

interact during the handover ceremony

As a result of the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) recently handed over Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA). The donation

FAO/Mbapeua Karutjaiva came as part of FAO’s efforts towards addressing emerging © challenges brought forth by the effects of COVID-19.

Speaking at the official handover event of the equipment Participants note down some important aspects highlighted during the IPC to NSA, which took place at the National COVID-19 workshop. Information Centre in Windhoek, FAO Namibia Representative, Ms. Farayi Zimudzi, noted that FAO is The training covered all the required topics and special committed towards supporting Government and its attention was given to the analysis component. agencies efforts towards curbing the spread of the virus. Participants were tasked to analyze all the 14 regions in Namibia, with the exception of Erongo region which was Ms. Zimudzi further highlighted the importance of strong the epicentre of the Covid-19 pandemic at the time. partnerships with agencies such as the NSA, noting the important role of timely and accurate data in allowing During the analysis, amongst the key drivers for food organizations such as FAO to effectively carry out their insecurity in the country identified included the COVID19 work. pandemic, as it restricts economic activities of tourism, SMEs and Petty trading activities, the negative impact of Meanwhile, NSA’s Statistician General, Mr Alex the prolonged drought situation which still persists, and Shimuafeni, praised FAO for the donation noting that it loss of employment, decline in market prices and lack of came at the right time as the agency prepares to undertake access to agricultural inputs. its Census mapping activities. “We are very grateful for the donation and indeed FAO has demonstrated why The analysis period for the current IPC was set to be July partnerships are key to ensuring that we achieve our 2020 to September 2020, with the projection period set to common goals and objectives,” he said. be October 2020 to March 2021. FAO’s assistance comprised of 240 washable facemasks, 20 The IPC for Acute Food Insecurity is a common global scale face protectors, and 60 hand sanitizer bottles. for classifying the severity and magnitude of food insecurity and malnutrition. At country Level, IPC is dedicated to developing and maintaining the highest possible quality in food security and nutrition analysis.

| 6 |

Uberhunis and Khoro-Aus receive a

lifeline from the Korea funded project

Gorthartine Shinavene (left) speaks to artisans from MAWLR.

“I am very appreciative of this project because before the ©FAO/Phillipus Tobias borehole was rehabilitated it was a major challenge to get An artisan holds up a sign post near a rehabilitated borehole in Uberhunis. water for our livestock,” she explained. “Back then we used our own personal means to acquire water, which made a It is three o’clock in the afternoon and the sun is set high huge dent in our pockets,” noted Gorthartine, while as its rays glare upon the vast barren ground that stretches pointing to an old rusty generator that the community west of the small mining town of Uis in the Erongo region. previously used to pump water from the borehole. Apart from a few bushes and patches of lush green camelthorn trees along a few ephemeral rivers, no Over the prolonged drought period, Gorthartine has lost evidence of life exists in this bone-dry area. two-thirds of her livestock due to a combined challenge of a lack of grazing and access to adequate water. “Had this On account of the severe drought, dead carcases of goats borehole not been rehabilitated, by now I would have likely and cows are scattered across the sandy terrain, a grim lost all my goats and cattle,” she said. indication of just how tough the past few years have been for the residents of Uberhunis, a small settlement located Gorthartine is now hopeful that she and her family of five within the Tsiseb conservancy near the Omaruru River. children can survive much easier because of the newly rehabilitated borehole. “I am thinking of starting a garden “This area is one of the hardest hit by the drought situation since the borehole is just a few meters away from us and in the country, and hasn’t received much rainfall over the hopefully from the garden produce I can feed my family past five to seven years or so,” said Frieda Shaanika, Civil and earn an extra income,” she said with a confident smile Artisan in the Directorate of Water Supply and Sanitation on her face. Coordination (DWSSC) within the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform (MAWLR). Around 10 households in Uberhunis draw benefits from the newly rehabilitated borehole, with many farmers now Rehabilitated borehole improves life in Uberhunis able to maintain their remaining livestock. Besides using the clean and consumable water for everyday household Frieda and her team of fellow artisans worked several chores such as cooking and cleaning, community members weeks to rehabilitate the once dilapidated community are thinking of other ways to make full use of the improved borehole at Uberhunis through the Korea funded project. water situation such as establishing vegetable gardens and “The borehole you see before us now was highly unsafe producing fodder to supplement their livestock’s forage and unreliable to use prior to its rehabilitation a few needs. A far cry from the drought condition which had months ago,” explained Frieda. threatened to wipe out their livelihoods.

Now a shadow of its former self, the borehole is fully Residents in Khoro-Aus express their relief equipped with a solar system that helps pump water to two large tanks positioned a few metres away from it and now Similarly just a few kilometres on the outskirts of Uis, in has a watering trough for livestock to drink from. Khoro-Aus lies another rehabilitated borehole that has proved to be a great deal of help to the residents within Ms. Gorthartine Shinavene, a small-stock farmer who has that community, and especially the farmers. lived in Uberhunis all her life, expressed her joy when probed on how she felt about the intervention that has allowed for the safe, affordable and reliable provision of water in her community.

| 7 |

Once an open well that posed a danger to both humans The prolonged drought situation in Namibia and livestock within the area, Government made efforts to transform it into a borehole but over the years it became The protracted drought situation in Namibia has had a dilapidated and unsafe to use. However, thanks to the severe negative impact on grazing and left many interventions of the Korea funded project, it is now safely communities with a critical water shortage, translating into covered up. a significant loss of livestock and reduced crop yield for thousands of farmers – leading to a worse food insecurity situation in the country.

Following the declaration of the State of Emergency in 2016 by the Namibian Government as a result of the

prolonged drought situation in the country, numerous relief projects were initiated to help lessen the impact of drougth on vulnerable communities.

One such project titled “Improving water access in the

FAO/Phillipus Tobias drought-affected regions of Namibia” was initiated on the © generosity of the Government of the Republic of Korea which availed U$200 000 (N$3 million) towards funding the project. The project aimed at supporting the rehabilitation of boreholes and hand-dug wells along strategic drought- Artisans from MAWLR speak to Simon Amunyela, a local herdsman from induced livestock and pastoral migration routes in the Khoro-Aus. Erongo, Kunene and Omusati regions. Uberhunis, Khoro- Aus, Khoro-Aus Pos and Doeie-See, in Erongo region were Simon Amunyela, a small-stock farmer in the area, gave a the villages that benefited from the project. grim account of how precarious the previous borehole was. “Before this borehole was rehabilitated we faced challenges to provide water to our animals because it was extremely unsafe and difficult to draw water from,” he said.Simon further explained that the nearest alternative borehole in the area has overly salty water which is unbearable for both animal and human consumption.

“That was the only safest borehole in this community, but

unfortunately the water turned too salty for the animals to drink so we were forced to settle for the unsafe option,” Simon said, as his flock of goats and sheep approached the watering trough in a frenzy to quench their thirst.

Simon noted that despite the poor grazing situation, he ©FAO/Phillipus Tobias ©FAO/Phillipus was very happy that at least one problem had been Goats drinking from a watering trough near a rehabilitated borehole. resolved. “It’s one less burden to carry in terms of access to water and I am very thankful for such an intervention, God bless all the agencies that played a role in assisting us,” he concluded.

Contact information:

FAO Representation in Namibia 38-44 Stein Street Some rights reserved. This work is available Windhoek, Namibia under a CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO licence