The Meteorological Services recently reported that the country has recorded the driest January since 1981. This indicates that the current rainfall may be unevenly distributed and could adversely affect farmers across various regions of Namibia. 

This report can serve as an early warning indicator for farmers and policymakers responsible for National Disaster Risk Response and should encourage a proactive approach to mitigating potential disasters. As is well known, Namibia’s Agriculture sector has significant direct and indirect effects on the livelihoods of the population. This makes it essential for disaster responses to be proactive to minimise potential devastating effects.

A dry January and a February with uneven rainfall distribution have a number of negative effects on the livestock and crop sectors in the country. For instance, farmers who hoped to see forage regrowth on their rangelands (grazing areas) have witnessed extreme dry spells that have scorched grasses in their growing stages. 

Moreover, many grasses have failed to reach their full growth cycle (growing until producing seeds). This could lead to limited forage availability in grazing areas, posing a threat to livestock farmers. 

A farmer in such a dilemma has the option to keep hoping for more rain or make an informed decision to sell the old livestock that may be vulnerable to drought, should we end up experiencing one this year. 

Planning ahead 

Selling off the older animals gives farmers a chance to face drought with resilient young animals that can walk long distances in search of forage daily. 

The proceeds from the sale of old livestock can also enable a farmer to secure better prices while demand remains steady and supply is low. This is particularly significant as many farmers are still hoping to rebuild their herds by buying in livestock and selling them off. 

To this end, if a farmer delays selling and we experience drought, the last resort becomes panic sales due to limited forage in grazing areas across Namibia’s farming landscape.

Additionally, as the Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak threatens Namibia’s disease-free zone, there is even more reason for farmers to be proactive in their decision-making. 

A drought and FMD outbreak could potentially have devastating consequences, as Namibia could lose major export markets, and local regional markets may struggle to absorb the available supply. 

This scenario should encourage farmers to market their slaughter ready animals in a timely manner, and those with financial obligations such as loan instalments to institutions such as Agribank, FNB, Bank Windhoek, Nedbank, Standard Bank and others are encouraged to utilise such proceeds to make significant payments towards their annual instalments (at least cover about 45 – 50%). 

Furthermore, farmers with financial obligations should always keep their creditors informed of their challenges to reach an amicable solution. 

The other 50–55% of the sales proceeds can be invested and utilised later for herd rebuilding or other improvements, such as irrigation systems on the farm to enable land cultivation for establishing cultivated pasture (lucerne or grass-growing operations).

Challenges 

For crop farmers, a dry January means grain production is affected as most crops experience water shortages and their daily water requirements are not met, resulting in poor growth. 

For farmers who usually practice early planting, their crops face dry spells at critical growing stages such as tasselling in maize and pearl millet (Mahangu). Dry spells (moisture stress) during the tasselling (flowering/anthesis) stage in maize and pearl millet are critical events, often leading to severe yield reductions due to impaired pollination and grain setting. 

While both crops are affected, maize is highly sensitive, whereas pearl millet exhibits better, though not total, tolerance to such conditions. This can lead to crop failure if dry spells persist, and farmers with the necessary resources are urged to irrigate. 

As for farmers in areas where irrigation remains a challenge, it is advisable for them to utilise crop residue as livestock feed by milling stalks and feeding them to livestock to help them survive drought.

Another devastating effect of a dry January and a below average February is the inadequate replenishment of water sources such as rivers (annual and perennial), underground channels (aquifers) and boreholes. This can result in low water yields from boreholes that rely on groundwater tables, which remain low due to inadequate recharge, heavily reliant on rainfall. 

As for decision makers, natural disasters that pose a national threat to the livelihoods of Namibians through market disruptions and crop failures or livestock mortality, threaten food security for the general populace and income generation for those directly dependent on agriculture. 

It is therefore essential for decision makers to adopt proactive strategies to mitigate the potentially devastating effects of drought. 

Support systems

For instance, export abattoirs such as Meatco and Savanna should receive government support to sell meat for export with limited political interference and to enable farmers to offload livestock promptly. 

Supporting local crop farmers with subsidised initiatives, such as installing irrigation systems to mitigate the effects of dry spells during the rainy season, enables farmers to grow crops successfully. 

This reduces the risk of crop failure and maintains food security for staple grains such as maize.

Additionally, payments to farmers should be time sensitive to enable them to honour their financial commitments. 

Institutions such as the Livestock and Livestock Product Board of Namibia (formerly known as Meatboard of Namibia) and the Directorate of Veterinary Services (DVS) should be assisted with financial contributions from industries such as mining, banking and fishing.  This is essential to ensure that these institutions have the necessary resources to maintain border security measures near countries affected by FMD, especially Botswana and South Africa. This will ensure that all borders are equipped with adequate disinfecting agents to properly disinfect trucks from South Africa and Botswana.

Collective consultation among all stakeholders, including farmers, input suppliers, distributors, markets, government offices, and others, can lead to the development of practical response plans that promote proactive actions in the face of national disasters. 

This collaborative approach will enable the country to respond to natural disasters more effectively and ensure that livelihoods remain resilient across Namibia.

*Hanks Saisai is Agribank’s technical advisor on crops and poultry.