Namibia: EIF Aids Flood-Hit Zambezi Farmers

Katima Mulilo — The Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia (EIF) on Friday donated supplementary livestock feed valued at N$500 000 to the Zambezi Regional Council to assist flood affected farmers in the region. The donation is expected to benefit more than 3 000 vulnerable livestock farmers, particularly those affected by flooding in the Kabbe North, Kabbe South and Katima Rural constituencies. The feed was sourced from Agra Namibia in Rundu. According to the Zambezi Regional Council’s acting chief regional officer, Beaven Walubita, the donation follows requests for assistance the regional council submitted to various corporate organisations during the floods. Walubita said the council must now arrange transport to move the donated feed from Rundu to Katima Mulilo. He stressed the importance of ensuring the feed reaches the targeted farmers on time, before it expires.

Speaking at the official handover ceremony, EIF Chief Human Capital and Corporate Services Officer Elvis Mukaya reaffirmed the fund’s commitment to supporting communities in the Zambezi Region. “No community should face the impacts of climate-induced disasters alone,” Mukaya said. Mukaya said that while the donation provides much-needed relief, it also presents an opportunity to reflect on the need to strengthen local agricultural production. He noted that because the supplementary livestock feed had to be sourced from outside the Zambezi region, the situation should encourage greater local investment in agricultural production and regional self-reliance.

“I therefore wish to encourage our regional leadership, traditional authorities and development partners to champion sustainable agricultural initiatives that enable communities to produce their own livestock feed and establish community fodder banks,” he said. Zambezi Governor Dorothy Kabula-Simushi received the donation on behalf of the regional council and thanked the EIF for the timely support. “Your support comes at a critical time, when many of our livestock farmers are still recovering from the overwhelming floods that submerged their homes and grazing areas, significantly affecting livestock nutrition,” she said. Kabula-Simushi said the assistance would go a long way in helping farmers maintain the health and productivity of their livestock. -Nampa