Ref: 13/6/26

21 September 2010

MEDIA RELEASE FROM CABINET CHAMBERS

Cabinet took the following decisions at its 11th ordinary 2010 meeting held on 31 August 2010.

1. REPORT ON THE NATIONAL VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT AND

ANALYSIS 2010/2011
Extreme weather conditions have increased in frequency and severity, impacting negatively on
the livelihoods of communities and rendering them vulnerable to food insecurity. The effects of
extreme weather conditions are mostly felt by the very poor in the society due to their limited
capacity to cope with such events. The situation is exacerbated by socio-economic and
environmental issues such as poverty, disease and increases in commodity prices.

Until recently it was difficult to determine livelihood based risk and vulnerability due to the lack
of an analytical system and framework to handle complexities of household level analysis. This
led to the establishment of the Namibia Vulnerability Assessment Committee (NAMVAC),
which is a government-led, multi-sectoral committee tasked with undertaking vulnerability
assessment and analysis in the country.

To address vulnerability in Namibia, an analysis system was established with technical and
financial assistance from the Southern Africa Development Community Regional Vulnerability
Assessment and Analysis. The system looks beyond acute symptomatic manifestation of
disasters such as hunger, loss of lives and/or property and damage to infrastructure. It goes deep
into understanding the causes of vulnerability, which is rooted in everyday life and reinforced by
historical patterns which shape the political economy of societies. This allows distinction
between poverty related vulnerability and vulnerability as a result of sudden economic shock or
natural disaster.

The analytical framework has the capacity of translating the way people access food, cash
income and the way they might be affected by shocks into practical information to guide policy
planning and decision making.
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With assistance from the Southern Africa Development Community Regional Vulnerability
Assessment and Analysis a vulnerability assessment started in 2008 with an initial national
livelihood based vulnerability assessment and analysis. This was followed by a livelihood
baseline assessment and analysis in the newly created rural livelihood zones. A number of
livelihood zones have been identified, namely:
- Kunene cattle and small stock, located in the north west of the country, North West
Kunene;
- Omaheke and Otjozondjupa cattle ranching, being the communal areas in the south-
western part of Omusati, parts of southern Kavango and a broad swath in eastern
Otjozondjupa and northern Omaheke;
- Northern border upland cereals and livestock, being mainly upland Kavango and drier
areas of the Caprivi with parts of Omusati, Oshana, Ohangwana and Oshikoto;
- North central upland cereals and non-farm income, that lies in the northern part of the
country bordering Angola. Mainly north-east Omusati, northern Oshana, north-west
Oshikoto and western Ohangwena regions;
- Caprivi lowland maize and livestock, being spatially distributed, it mainly covers the low
altitude areas of Caprivi in areas such as riverine woodlands and the eastern flood plains,
Katima Mulilo, Impalila Island and the Kavango River Basin;
- Erongo-Kunene small stock and natural resources, which cover the western parts of the
country, also south of the former Kaokoland, mainly the south-western parts of Kunene
and northern Erongo;
- Southern communal small stock, covering the central part straddling the border of the
Hardap and Karas regions. There is also a smaller area bordering on Karasburg;
- Resettlement areas, spatially scattered across all freehold areas in the country;
- Communal exclusive farmlands, mostly scattered holdings in northern areas in south-east
Kunene, southern Oshikoto and western Otjozondjupa regions;
- Freehold cattle ranching – this zone covers the central part of Namibia in the
Otjozondjupa, Khomas, Erongo, Omaheke, Kavango, Ohangwena and Oshikoto regions;
- Southern freehold small stock, covering mainly parts of Hardap and Karas with southern
parts of the Khomas region;

There is now considerable evidence and general agreement that adverse weather conditions
combined with poverty induced vulnerability are the main causes of vulnerability in Namibia.

The key findings of the 2010/2011 National Assessment and Analysis state the main hazards and
shocks for the period as:
- Flood water conditions;
- Dry spells;
- Human-wildlife conflict (destruction of crops and livestock);
- Livestock diseases (FMD, RVF and small stock internal parasites);
- Increase of staple food prices in remote rural areas such as the southern and eastern parts
of the country.

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As a result of the hazards the following populations will be at risk of food and livelihood
insecurity in the 2010/2011 consumption year:
- A total of 42 100 people will face survival (food) deficit, being unable to meet their
minimum food requirements in 2010/2011. A total of 33 493 very poor people are found
in the Caprivi Lowland Maize and Cattle livelihood zone;
- A total of 8 607 poor people with food deficit is in the Southern Freehold Small Stock
zone in large parts of the Hardap and Karas regions;
- A total of 106 297 people in the Caprivi Lowland Maize and Cattle zone, as well as the
Southern Communal Small Stock zone, the Southern Freehold Small Stock zone and the
Omaheke, Otjozondjupa Cattle Ranching zone will face a livelihood protection (non-
essential food items) deficit and will be unable to meet their livelihood protection
thresholds to live in a sustainable way. The livelihood protection basket comprises of
essential items such as education, health, agricultural inputs (seeds, fertilizer, ploughing).

A total of 2 440 Metric tons of maize meal will be required to address the Survival threshold,
while a total of 7 877 Metric tons of maize meal will be required to ensure a livelihood
protection threshold.

In light of the above, Cabinet approved the following short term mitigation measures:
- Free food handouts targeting labour poor households (those who cannot work) in the
Caprivi, Kavango, Hardap and Karas regions;
- Food and cash for work targeting labour rich (those who can work) households among
the very poor and poor group household categories in the Caprivi, parts of Kavango,
Hardap, Karas, Omaheke and Otjozondjupa regions;
- More effective planning and coordination of Government services in rural areas.

For the medium term, Cabinet approved the following strategies:

- Poverty reduction through income generation projects among enterprising households;
- Creation of productive assets through small stock provision among asset poor households
in Southern Namibia;
- Settlement of very poor and landless, labour tenants, particularly fast-tracking of the
implementation of strategic food reserves in regions where they don’t exist; and
- Improvement in the delivery of agricultural inputs to ensure increased productivity.

Cabinet approved the following strategies in the long term:

- Establishment of more competitive livestock pricing systems;
- Improving access to basic education among the rural population;
- Establishment of a regional early warning system for countries within the Zambezi and
Cuvelai basin;
- More effective coordination between flood affected communities, traditional authorities
and regional/central government;
- Permanent relocation of populations in high risk flood affected areas.

Cabinet noted that to implement the proposed short-term interventions, a total amount of N$59
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098 592.00 will be required. Of this amount, N$14 092 855 is needed to address the survival
threshold, while N$45 005 737 is needed to ensure the livelihood protection threshold.

Cabinet also directed the Office of the Prime Minister to clearly specify the targeted beneficiaries
referred to under the short-term measures and to rather refer to individuals instead of
“households” where appropriate. Cabinet, furthermore, directed the Office of the Prime Minister
to assess the quality of the maize meal stock to be procured from the Kavango region for the
food relief programme, whilst also directing the Office of the Prime Minister to extend the food
relief programme to informal settlements in urban areas.

Cabinet also directed that the group targeted for the food-for-work programme should also be
considered for employment in the proposed Targeted Interventions Programme for Employment
Creation.

Further information can be obtained from the Office of the Prime Minister at telephone number
2879111.

2. MAHANGU MARKETING PLAN

Cabinet declared Mahangu as a controlled crop by a Cabinet decision dating back to 2005. This
implies that mahangu farmers are assured of a market for surplus production of mahangu. The
government also erected state silos at Katima Mulilo, Rundu, Okongo and Omuthiya with a total
capacity of 12 000 tonnes in its strive towards food security and self-sufficiency.

To increase the production of mahangu, several stakeholders, including mahangu producers,

millers, famers unions, seed grower cooperatives, government institutions, the AgriBank and the
European Union held a Mahangu Focus Day in November 2009 in Ondangwa. The outcome of
the meeting was a clear pronouncement in favour of enhanced mahangu production and a
marketing programme.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry accepted the recommendations of the
stakeholders meeting and requested the Namibian Agronomic Board to draft a marketing plan for
mahangu.

The plan includes the acquisition of capital assets and an operational budget. The objective of
the plan is:
- To increase surplus mahangu production and marketing to 30 000 tonnes per year in the
medium-term;
- To establish mahangu collection points at Agricultural Development Centres and enhance
the delivery of mahangu;
- To establish additional collection points where necessary with relevant partners as
appropriate; and
- To strengthen and encourage entrepreneurs to establish mahangu processing facilities.

For the plan to be successful, it is assumed that:

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 - Mahangu farmers will positively respond to the marketing structure and producer prices;
- The silo capacity is sufficient to take up all surplus millet purchased from producers and
selling off millet once the silo capacity has been reached to provide for space for fresh
mahangu;
- The Ministerial Dry Land Crop Production Programme in terms of ploughing services,
provision of subsidised fertilizer and seeds and weeding is supported by farmers;
- Training, demonstrations and information dissemination will contribute towards and
increase production; and
- Favourable climatic conditions prevail and pests and diseases do not threaten the
potential crop.

An annual assessment of the Mahangu Marketing Plan will be carried out with the aim to
monitor successful implementation of the plan and to adjust the production and marketing
support programme as the need arises.

In light of the above, Cabinet gave it’s in principle approval for the Mahangu Marketing Plan and
Cabinet also approved the funding of the plan to the tune of N$2 million per year for four years.

Further information can be obtained from the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry at
telephone number 2087643.

3. TRADITIONAL HEALTH PRACTITIONERS BILL, 2010

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has a Strategic Framework on African
Traditional Medicine which emphasizes that each member country should have legislation in
place to control and promote African Traditional Medicine.

In line with the Community Based Health Care Policy of 2009 of the Ministry of Health and
Social Services, it is accepted that Traditional Health Practitioners are widely present in Namibia
and have considerable influence in their communities. They can present a positive or a negative
force towards the promotion of health and development, depending on their conviction and
involvement.

Many community members use traditional health practitioners in addition to the modern health
system. However, at times complaints related to the practice of some traditional health
practitioners are registered in the country. Due to the absence of a formally established
regulatory body, these complaints can currently not be adequately followed up. Improvements in
traditional health practice are also not adequately monitored.

Traditional Health Practitioners, unlike other health professionals, are currently practicing in
Namibia without any regulatory body or any form of guidance and supervision. Therefore, the
Ministry of Health and Social Services developed the Traditional Health Practitioners Bill to
provide for the establishment of a regulatory body, namely the Traditional Health Practitioners
Council of Namibia, with powers to register and control every person wishing to practice as a
traditional health practitioners in Namibia.
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Cabinet granted approval to the Minister of Health and Social Services to table the Traditional
Health Practitioners Bill, 2010 in the National Assembly.

Further information can be obtained from the Ministry of Health and Social Services at telephone
number 2039111.

MBEUTA UA-NDJARAKANA
PERMANENT SECRETARY