Eveline de Klerk

SWAKOPMUND - Karibib and Swakopmund have been identified as the two towns for the establishment of the food bank for Erongo Region. 
The two towns were identified to make distribution of food parcels under the programme more central. 
The one in Karibib will mainly cater for surrounding towns, Omaruru and Usakos while, the Swakopmund based food bank will mainly focus on Walvis Bay, Arandis, Swakopmund and Henties Bay.
The region’s various mayors and regional councillors made the decision on Friday during a consultative meeting with the Minister of Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare Zephania Kameeta.
Erongo and Otjizondjupa regions were the only regions without food banks.
The food bank will mainly cover impoverished Namibians in urban constituencies as rural constituencies such as the Daures Constituency are already been catered for under the drought relief programme.
During the meeting, Kameeta indicated the ministry’s budget is very limited with only N$62 million being allocated for the programme.
“Therefore, our targeted beneficiaries should only be vulnerable households in poor urban and peri-urban areas.  They should also not have any permanent income or should receive any other social assistance,” Kameeta explained.
According to Kameeta, a regional food bank committees should also soon be established in the region to manage the programme’s regional activities. 
He said training will be provided to committee members to be able to identify needy households in the urban and peri-urban areas.
 “Food should be distributed as a matter of urgency hence we do not want food in warehouses.  It should be handed out as soon as it is available. 
The person that would be responsible for overseeing the distribution of food parcels should take up the role seriously as they will be the direct liaison person between the ministry and the beneficiaries,” he said.
The food bank was first launched in 2016, in Windhoek, Khomas Region to assist needy Namibians with no basic income.