Staff reporter
The Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia, in collaboration with the agriculture ministry, hosted a two-day training session in Khorixas to empower people to take action on various disasters last week. The aim was to reduce the vulnerability of smallholder farmers under climate change conditions by safeguarding natural capital.
EIF spokesperson Lot Ndamanomhata said “to be prepared for looming adversities brought about by climate variability, there is a need to shift from being reactive and becoming more proactive.”
The Kunene region is one of the most vulnerable regions severely affected by climate-related shocks, such as recurrent droughts. Over the past years, small-scale farmers here have endured recurrent droughts and flood events that have culminated in the loss of their animals and livelihoods.
Many people living in the region depend on livestock farming, community-based natural resources management (conservancy and community forest-related tourism) and the use of biodiversity products to meet their daily needs. The natural resources-based livelihoods are vulnerable to climate change to some extent. Namibia continues to observe the ongoing natural variability and changes in rainfall patterns, hence the dominant extreme weather conditions in recent years.
Those trained have become part of the early warning system (EWS) community, who will not only assist in the Kunene region, but empower the Namibian nation at large. They will be responsible for hazard detection, monitoring and forecasting, as well as enforce actions.
The EWS will address the adaptation needs of smallholder farmers through access to accurate and up- to-date climate information to enhance adaptation responses. This intervention would go a long way in minimising current steps or procedures undertaken before early warning messages reach the intended populations at risk.
Although it is not possible to predict what effect future climate will have, it is of utmost importance to explore and utilise relevant tools that would enable the nation to capture and disseminate accurate information in order to manage extreme climate risks. The EWS will alert communities under threat of an imminent disaster to undertake proactive actions built upon the four EWS components: hazard detection, monitoring and forecasting; analysing risks and incorporation of risk information in emergency planning and warnings; disseminating timely and “authoritative” warnings; and community planning and preparedness.
Chief scientific officer in the ministry of agriculture based in Kunene, Charlie Mwaetako, said strengthening the resilience of local farmers enhances food and nutrition security.