Water scarcity is one of the greatest challenges in Namibia, and this is mainly due to unpredictable rainfall patterns.

This was said by the Executive Director of the Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform, Ndiyakupi Nghituwamata, at a three-day regional conference on hydrology and water coordination held at Swakopmund.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform is tasked with the responsibility of managing the sustainable utilization of agriculture, water, and land resources.

Nghituwamata says there is a need to cooperate at political, scientific, academic, private, and community levels to address these challenges.

"The most critical constraints of Namibia's water resource are the high rainfall variability and the accompanying threat of drought. As the water demand continues to rise in the country, water scarcity has become a problem for all areas that are placed geographically far from the perennial water resources in achieving economic, environmental, and social development objectives."

She also stressed the importance of supporting governments in mitigating the challenges of climate change adaptation.

"These issues are critically important in ensuring that we have sufficient information to influence policies and decision-making processes and that we are well prepared to deal with climate change-related disasters and risks. It's therefore on that basis that I request you to seriously look at them and come up with practical and implementable solutions."

She added that given the trend of migration, urban domestic water demand, including manufacturing and industry, is estimated to increase.

However, she believes that the conference's outcomes are critical because they will contribute to the efficient and sustainable management of water resources, thereby addressing the impacts of climate change and its impact on people's lives in African countries and around the world.