The Interim Executive Director of Sasscal says Namibia continues to play a pivotal role in coordinating and implementing research projects in the critical areas of water and food security.
Dr. Budzanani Tacheba was speaking at the SASSCAL thematic workshop in Windhoek today (Tuesday).
Dr. Tacheba says for Namibia to combat food insecurity, it needs to employ climate-smart agriculture practices that increase productivity while conserving natural resources.
He says this can be done by promoting drought-resistant crops and drought-tolerant seeds, which can safeguard farmers against crop failures, such as pearl millet and sorghum.
SASSCAL runs a Climate-Smart Crops Project, which characterises and allows technology transfer of value-added products from climate-smart emerging crops to improve food security.
"The climate-smart agriculture project seeks to characterise the molecular and physiological characteristics of indigenous plants and to examine how they can be used as a food security buffer and improve arable cropping systems. The project has already developed prototypes with trials."
Dr. Tacheba also noted that there is a need to practise sustainable land management by adopting techniques such as conservation agriculture, agroforestry, and rotational grazing to restore soil health and reduce erosion.
"SASSCAL is implementing the Rangelands project (RIBS) that is examining the different technologies for bush thinning, rehabilitation and aftercare, looking at their efficiency, cost-effectiveness, impact on the hydrological cycle and biodiversity, among others."
He also stressed that Namibia's freshwater resources remain under severe pressure, suggesting water harvesting techniques, groundwater recharge projects, and investing in desalination plants, as well as recycling water to support agriculture.
"The Namibian Water Sector Support Program (WSSP) – WSSP was designed to cover critical, urgent water supply infrastructure development and sanitation activities prioritised from various studies by the Technical Committee of Experts (TCE) supporting the Cabinet Committee on water, established by presidential order. It is a step in the right direction, but more must be done to ensure long-term water security."
He urged policy makers to strengthen transboundary water cooperation to ensure water security among countries.