The Minister of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform, Carl Schlettwein, said the water reuse method is an approach that can be taken in Kunene to address the water shortage in the region.

Schlettwein said this at the joint commemoration of World Wetlands Day and World Water Day in Opuwo.

Wetlands are ecosystems that contain water permanently or seasonally.

World Wetlands Day 2024 calls for attention to the interconnectedness between wetlands and various aspects of human existence.

The Kunene experiences water supply challenges, hence the Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform Minister's suggestion that water be recycled.

"In this area, we must aggressively approach that method. We must do what we do in Windhoek: you use the water twice by recleaning the affluent to a drinkable standard and adding that back to the water lines. So water reuse is really necessary."

He says water demand is on the increase, therefore it needs to be used wisely with an increase in the water management system.

Environment, Forestry, and Tourism Minister Pohamba Shifeta says water scarcity in the Kunene region has resulted in increased human-wildlife conflict.

"The Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism, realising the importance of the conflict between local communities and wildlife over scarce water resources, has invested heavily in the creation of elephant-friendly water points and the conversion of diesel engines to solar-powered units to ensure communities do not carry the burden of providing water for elephants. This has been done in some selected human-elephant conflict areas."

Shifeta therefor wants the two ministries to collaborate in areas of water provision for local communities and wildlife as well.

Unesco, Kunene Conservation, Coca-Cola, and the Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management donated school bags, printing papers, water containers, and rain gauges to various schools in Kunene.

In Namibia, Wetlands Day is jointly commemorated with World Water Day, as wetlands are a vital component of the freshwater cycle.

World Wetlands Day was commemorated under the theme 'Wetlands and Human Wellbeing', while World Water Day is 'Water for Peace'.