16 May 2013 - Story by Lorraine Kazondovi

WINDHOEK – Government has rolled out a massive nationwide drought relief assistance initiative in the form of subsidies, new infrastructure set-up and support mechanisms for crop and livestock farmers.

15 May 2013 - Story by Albertina Nakale

CORRIDOR 17 - Aminuis Constituency Councillor Erwin Uanguta has appealed to the Office of the Prime Minister's Risk and Disaster Management Unit to broaden the provision of drought relief food to all households in drought-stricken areas.

02 May 2013 - Story by Francis Xoagub

BERSEBA – With memories of last year’s drought still fresh in their memories, communal farmers in the south are afraid the current devastating dry spell will continue until December.

One of the worst droughts in years continues to worsen according to the latest Namibia Crop Prospect and Food Security Situation Report. “At this point in time I’m very concerned about it,” said Daniel Gariseb (63) of farm //Khu !Hoes in the Berseba district during an interview with New Era this week.

WINDHOEK - Ovitoto farmers have lost over 556 livestock between February and April this year, among them cattle, due to the current drought.

They say the situation has become so dire that if government does not assist them they cannot imagine what would happen to their remaining livestock in the next few months. The drought-stricken farmers have pleaded with the Otjozondjupa Regional Risk Management Unit, the Governor of Otjozondjupa Region Samuel Nuuyoma and the Councillor of the Omatako Constituency, Issaskar Kaujeua, to introduce some form of subsidy to remedy the situation.

WINDHOEK - The Disaster Risk Management Unit (DRMU) in the Office of the Prime Minister is assisting San families with food rations to avert mass starvation. The exercise started this week and will continue today in the village of Chetto.

Close to 50 San families in Caprivi received food rations after they complained they did not have enough food due to crop failure caused by erratic rains. Kongola Constituency Councillor, David Muluti, said his area was hard hit by the drought as experienced elsewhere in the country.

Preparing rural Khomas communities for disasters and emergencies

From 5 to 9 November 2012, staff and volunteers from the Namibia Red Cross Society teamed up with the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) and the Khomas Regional Council to help rural Khomas communities prepare themselves for disasters and emergencies.

By Alexandra Peard, Australian volunteer with the Namibia Red Cross Society

Namibia is being affected by a severe drought with below normal rainfall for most parts of the country with the exception of the Caprivi which is suffering from flooding. With about half of the population engaged in subsistence agriculture the effects on livestock and crop production are severe and there are concerns for household food security.

It is expected that the Government will declare a drought emergency.

WINDHOEK - About twenty families in the Okakarara area have been displaced and left destitute after heavy rains in December destroyed their houses.

According to Okakarara Regional Councillor Vetaruhe Kandorozu, the twenty families consisting of about 53 people have been lodging with neighbours and relatives since the disaster and had asked for government assistance in January already, but nothing has come of it.

Flooding in Namibia's Caprivi region has already affected 20,000 people, as water levels in the Zambezi river basin have reached record highs.