US government provides emergency food support
Southern Africa's worst drought is devastating Namibia, with nearly 1.4 million people—almost half the population – facing acute food insecurity, doubling from last year, according to the April/September 2024 Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis. All 14 regions are affected, with cereal production down by 53% and dam water levels dropping by 70%.The drought has hit Namibia’s //Kharas region, a typically semi-arid area, especially hard, significantly reducing agricultural production and farm labour income. This has led to severe food shortages and health issues, including malnutrition. The World Food Programme (WFP) reports that 24% of Namibian children under five suffer from stunting, and 6% from wasting, both indicators of malnutrition.
To address the crisis, the US government, via USAID, partnered with Namibia’s Ministry of Health and UNICEF to deliver 14 metric tons of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) to malnourished children.
This effort, supported by Chevron’s funding for water access and emergency food relief, provides critical nutrition through health facilities. Children with severe malnutrition receive RUTF for three months and then may progress to supplementary food if necessary. However, due to a lack of Ready-to-Use Supplementary Food (RUSF) in Namibia, some children risk relapse post-treatment.
Local healthcare workers report that malnutrition in children often appears as diarrhoea, leading to diagnosis and enrolment in the program. Frequent migration in //Kharas, driven by employment needs, complicates patient record-keeping and treatment continuity.
Community members express gratitude for the programme. A clinic nurse, Petrus, welcomed the long-awaited RUTF supplies, citing the widespread suffering. A mother, “Sophie” (not her real name), shared how her child’s health improved significantly after starting the treatment, with her weight rising from 7.3 kg to over 9 kg. She initially mixed RUTF with porridge to help her daughter accept it, and now, her child enjoys it. “Thank you for helping Namibia with this life-saving product,” she adds.