Namibia is set to complete the N$130-million Green Climate Fund (GCF) funded project in the Kunene Region by February next year.
The project, dubbed the IREMA (Improving Rangeland and Ecosystem Management Practices of Smallholder Farmers under Conditions of Climate Change) was approved in 2018 and commenced in 2019.
“The GCF investment for this project amounts to US$9.3 million and matched by the Namibian Government’s contribution to the tune of US$700,000,” said Lot Ndamanomhata, Manager of Corporate Communications at the Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia (EIF).
The project’s steering committee embarked on a weeklong field mission to the project sites in order to gain project status updates.
“As a standard process, the aim of the Project Steering Committee (PSC) meeting is to have a platform where members interrogate and discuss issues pertaining to the project implementation and make harmonised decisions for accurate implementation of the project activities. Among the discussions held, the PSC deliberated on the sustainability of the two projects beyond their implementation periods, and the challenges that are poised towards the effective sustainability of the projects beyond completion,” stated Ndamanomhata
Ndamanomhata further stated that the project, which is being executed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform under an agreement with the EIF, is running various projects in the Kunene region aimed at improving land and management practices.
“Some of its notable activities include the development of an early warning system for disaster risk management, solar-retrofitting and rehabilitation of selected boreholes/water points, development of backyard gardens and rehabilitation of Warmquelle and Khowarib Green Schemes,” said Ndamanomhata.
The project is currently running activities in the Sesfontein, Fransfontein, and Warmquelle areas of the Kunene Region.
