The dry spell will worsen in the days ahead

• By Kaipaherue Kandjii

A NEW report titled ‘Crop Assessment, Food Security and Drought Situation, issued by the agriculture ministry in March, warns that Namibia faces a “significantly” deteriorating food security crisis.

After importing large quantities of maize and wheat to meet its needs, Namibia now faces a deficit of 58,000 metric tons of pearl millet.

The report says that in March of this year, 695,000 people were among the impoverished majority facing acute food insecurity.

The report says crop harvests are meager. As a result, the National Strategic Food Reserve is running out of food, as storage facilities only hold 16 per cent of the maize, pearl millet, and wheat they usually have out of a total capacity of 22,900 metric tons.

“As from May 2023 to February 2024, a total of 236 300 metric tons of coarse grains [such as] wheat, maize and pearl millet were imported in the country which includes 116 900 metric tons of wheat, 118 900 of white maize and 594 metric tons of pearl millet.

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