Sesfontein Constituency Councillor and Chairperson of the Kunene Regional Council, Hendrik Gaobaeb, has urged farmers in his constituency to sell their cattle in a bid to mitigate the losses they currently experience as a result of the severe drought. 

Like many parts of Namibia, Sesfontein has been ravished by a severe drought that has seen the deaths of livestock by many communal farmers. 

He said even commercial farmers are financially crippled by the loss of livestock as a result of the drought. 

"We are enraging the community, the farmers. They cannot farm, especially with cattle in the Sesfontein Constituency and the Kunene region at large. It is impossible now with this drought. The government also has a scheme where they are adding that if you sell these animals—goats, cattle, and sheep—I will advise and encourage the community that this year is worse. Let's sell the animals.'

The effects of the current drought have also led to an increase in human-wildlife conflict, with wildlife reaching communities in a desperate search for water. 

"The drought has come with human-wildlife conflict, currently, the only area in my constituency that has received good rain is Erwie. Each and every community and member is claiming and reporting, to the extent that I found the other night three in 300 radius elements, and another night again I found elephants. Currently, the conservancy is negotiating with the hunters so they can kill the elephants based on the quota set by the government."

He said he welcomes the expansion of government drought relief programmes, but said poor road infrastructure in the region is hindering food aid from reaching communities in desperate need.  

"Government has extended the drought relief food programme distribution, but the challenge is transport again. We are sitting sometimes with food, but reaching out is a problem due to road conditions and the availability of transport, trucks, and so on. That's the challenge."