PRIME minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila says government interventions to mitigate damage by heavy rains and drought in recent months will cost N$160 million over six months.
She was speaking on Tuesday in the National Assembly on the current rainfall situation, as most parts of the country have received above normal rainfall so far during the current rainy season.
The Office of the Prime Minister conducted a rainfall impact assessment in all regions.
“We have seen destruction to transport infrastructure, occasional floods and overflowing of dams, as a result of high rainfall, especially in the southern part of the country where the Neckartal Dam spilled for the first time, months after its completion,” she said.
“Other parts of the country also received good rains especially the central regions where, unfortunately, homes were destroyed, as well as in the north-eastern regions,” she said.
The Zambezi, Kavango East and Kavango West regions also received very good rainfall.
In the flood-prone Zambezi region, there were reports of submerged crops due to incessant rain, particularly in the Judea Lyaboloma constituency.
Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said affected farmers were provided with seeds for replanting.
In Kavango West, 2 551 people from 741 households were affected by the floods in the villages of Sikondo, Nakazaza, Ruurumwe and Mafugu.
Some households were left without shelter while crops were also damaged, the PM said.
However, pastures had improved due to high rainfall, she noted.
“Although the water has subsided, the flood left a trail of destruction at the homesteads and crop fields, increasing prospects of poor harvests. There is need for temporary shelters and food assistance to the affected communities,” Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said.
She added that the government had established two temporary sites and affected families had been either relocated or provided with tents, mattresses, mosquito nets and blankets.
“All affected households have also been provided food and water to last for two months,” she said.
In contrast, little rainfall has been received in the Kunene, Erongo and Omusati regions, where farmers lost a significant number of livestock.
According to Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, poor pastures due to lack of rain is the biggest concern for communities in those regions.
“Some farmers have started migrating in search of ‘non-existent’ better grazing in the region.
“The prospects of a good crop harvest, especially dry land crop production, is very poor. This is due to the long dry spell that resulted in poor germination and retarded plant growth,” she added.
She also said the problem of water for livestock continues in parts of Kunene and Erongo.
“Most communal farmers in Erongo and Kunene face water scarcity as some boreholes have dried up,” she said.
Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said some measures implemented by her office include two months’ food assistance, comprising 600 bags of maize meal and 7 200 tins of fish for displaced farmers camped near Opuwo.
An additional 3 000 bags of 10kg maize meal and 60 868 tins of fish were delivered to the region.
The Kunene Regional Council identified 15 217 affected households.
Farmers in the region will also get fodder for livestock.
Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said 41 989 bales of fodder were procured from the Ndonga Linena and Etunda green schemes, of which 3 300 have been delivered to the region.
Similar drought relief measures will be implemented in other affected regions.
The government will also subsidise transportation of livestock of needy farmers to grazing areas and help affected farmers to establish non-mechanised hydroponics systems.