Japan Provides Support to Drought Affected People in Namibia

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) received Japanese Government contribution of $ 700,000 that will enable WFP to provide food assistance to some 30,000 vulnerable people in Namibia.

Following prolonged and recurrent droughts in Namibia, more families are becoming vulnerable to severe food insecurity. The most recent episode of drought (2018/19) was recorded as the worst in the last 35 years, affecting over 500,000 Namibians.  This contribution will help build the resilience of the identified vulnerable people, who live in the Kavango East and Kavango West regions – two regions most affected by the drought, whilst meeting their immediate nutritional needs.

“This contribution from the Government of Japan is aimed at addressing hunger within the context of the last drought response, and now COVID-19,” said WFP Namibia Country Director and Representative Mr. BaiMankay Sankoh. “This vital assistance comes at a crucial time as COVID-19 is also restricting movement which is further affecting livelihoods,” he added. “Japan supports Namibia’s commitment to ensuring that no one goes to bed hungry.”

With this contribution, WFP has purchased 914 MT of food commodities comprising of fortified maize, pulses, vegetable oil and salt. “When Japan suffered extensive damage from the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011, Japan received heartfelt messages and great support from the government and the people of the Republic of Namibia. Japan is happy to return this gesture through this contribution to the drought that Namibia has faced”, said Hideaki Harada, Ambassador of Japan to the Republic of Namibia.

This assistance is implemented through the National Drought Response Programme coordinated by the Office of the Prime Minister, which provides immediate access to food for vulnerable households most affected by persistent drought. WFP, in partnership with the national Government, is reaching over 398 000 vulnerable people in Namibia with food assistance. The Government of Japan has been funding food assistance for developing countries since 1968 and is a long-standing partner of WFP in southern Africa.