Residents of Omutsegwonime village in the Oshikoto Region fear that the repeat of past years of drought will manifest again this year.

Though many ploughed well on time, crops have started to wilt because of a lack of rain.

The picture regarding crop fields in some parts of the northern regions looks bleak, and farmers are losing hope for a good harvest.

A worrying fact is that most households here are headed by either school-going children or unemployed youth, who rely on government social grants for their survival.

64-year-old Omutsegwonime resident Helvi Shigwedha relies on her monthly pension grant and fears that this year will be a repeat of previous years, where she harvested little due to a lack of rain.

Unemployed youth are worried about how they will survive into the next rainy season. 

Another resident, Iipumbu Shikongeni, suggests that, because of the situation that is beyond their control and the investment made to prepare land, the drought relief programme should now cover every affected household.

The situation looks equally dire in the Oshana, Omusati, and Ohangwena regions. 

A resident of Endola in the Ohangwena Region, Linea Haufiku, says they too are affected.