The implementation date for the livestock drought programme has been brought forward to July 1, 2023, instead of the initial October 1.

This was after Cabinet authorised the Office of the Prime Minister to consider a revision of the commencement date, subject to an assessment of the number of affected farmers and their financial implications.

In recent years, Namibians have felt and continue to feel the impact of drought.

While in some areas farmers have managed to harvest, the same cannot be said about others.

The Vulnerability Assessment and Analysis Report for 2023–2024 indicates that 172,000 households are expected to face high levels of acute food insecurity between March 2023 and June 2024.

A lack of rain also saw livestock die from both a lack of water and grazing.

The government came in with a drought relief programme to support the affected households and farmers across all 14 regions.

The programme was implemented from October 2023 to June 2024, while the livestock support programme was to be implemented from 01 October, 2023, to March 31, 2024.

The Cabinet has, however, now given the Office of the Prime Minister the opportunity to consider revising the starting date of the livestock drought programme to the 1st of July.

The drought relief programme will also be extended to families registered under the marginalised communities programme and cover food bank beneficiaries until food rations can be distributed on a monthly basis by the Ministry of Poverty Eradication.

Regional councils have been directed to ensure that only households meeting the set criteria are registered for humanitarian assistance.

It is expected of the Directorate of Disaster Risk Management to provide resources to regional councils to ensure adequate human resources capacity for a smooth administration.

Households will also now receive a 20kg maize meal bag per month instead of a 12.5kg.

The programme is expected to cost the government more than N$800 million.