Food relief for malnourished children
The US government handed over 14 metric tons of Ready-To-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) to the Ministry of Health and Social Services to provide lifesaving assistance to at least 1 000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition.RUTF is a specialised food product which is designed to provide all the nutrients a malnourished person needs to recover.
The donation forms part of an agreement between the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Chevron which has committed N$5.7 million to support water access projects and N$1 million for emergency drought relief for food-insecure people in the country.
The initiative comes in the wake of the ongoing drought situation in Southern Africa, including Namibia.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, the central dams are running low, and the National Strategic Food Reserves stand at roughly 16% of the total holding capacity. The country is increasingly facing a severe food crisis, with every fifth Namibian being classified as food insecure.
“These are not just numbers, they are alarming statistics that demand our immediate attention,” said US Ambassador Randy Berry, highlighting that climate change effects, such as frequent droughts and unpredictable rainfall patterns are exacerbating these challenges.
“We must act now, both in the long term with climate change mitigation and adaptation measures, and immediately to provide relief to those in urgent need, particularly malnourished vulnerable populations.”
The emergency drought relief sachets will be distributed by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).