2018-03-06Staff Report 2 Nuusita Ashipala Ongwediva-The Omusati Regional Council in collaboration with the Adaptation at Scale in Semi-Arid Regions (ASSAR) project will host a two-day conference on water, food security and adaptation to climate change. The conference takes place tomorrow and Thursday to bring stakeholders together to deliberate on challenges faced by the region as a result of climate change. It also further seeks dialogue on solutions that can address these challenges. The council predicts that weather conditions will become more severe during the next decades placing a responsibility on the shoulders of every Namibian to find adaptation measures. “It is therefore important for people in north-central Namibia to understand how and why their climate is changing, so that they know how they can prepare for this change and make sure that there is enough food and water for the future,” says Ndapanda Kanime from the council. The conference targets addressing water scarcity, increased food security and exploring funding opportunities for mitigation and adaption to climate change. Further, it targets to adopt a policy for sustainable integrated management and development to sustain the natural resources. ASSAR is a five-year research project implemented in East, Southern and West Africa as well as South Asia. In Southern Africa the project is being implemented in Botswana, and in Namibia the focus is in Onesi Constituency in Omusati Region. It is funded by the Canadian International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the UK Department for International Development (DFID). The project aims to deepen the understanding of climate vulnerability and adaptation in semi-arid regions. ASSAR further aims to inform and influence climate change adaptation in development activities and to advance adaptive livelihoods for vulnerable groups in dry lands by building capacity and closing the knowledge gaps. 2018-03-06Staff Report 2
