The World Food Programme (WFP) is considering a N$303 million allocation for its Country Strategic Plan (CSP) in Namibia for the 2025-2029 period.
The draft CSP budget totals US$17,007,124 (N$303 million), with 20% designated for gender-transformative approaches.
According to the draft report, these approaches “are designed to reduce the gender gap in digital and financial inclusion, and to provide knowledge and skills interventions that improve women’s economic opportunities and well-being”.
Monitoring and evaluation will account for 10.5% of the budget throughout the CSP period.
For Outcome 1, which aims to ensure that crisis-affected populations in Namibia can meet their food and nutrition needs during emergencies, a total of US$3,423,952 (N$60.7 million) is allocated over five years.
Under this outcome, WFP will target 110,000 beneficiaries, with 53% being women and girls and 47% men and boys.
“The number of beneficiaries assisted directly by WFP is expected to decrease gradually each year as a result of increased government capacity. As WFP complements the Government’s responses, targeting will be based on joint food security and vulnerability assessments carried out in coordination with the Government and other partners,” WFP noted
Outcome 2 focuses on strengthening Namibia’s social protection systems to better support at-risk populations and promote human capital development, with a total allocation of US$3,898,576 (N$69.0 million).
The report says, “Under this outcome, WFP will support the Government in strengthening systems for social protection, including school feeding programs, to ensure that those at greatest risk—especially women, young people, children, people living with HIV, persons with disabilities, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and Indigenous Peoples—have access to better nutrition.”
For Outcome 3, the plan aims to strengthen Namibia’s national food systems by 2030 to improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers and ensure access to affordable, healthy diets for at-risk communities. A total of USD 9,349,421 (N$165.1 million) is allocated.
“WFP aims to further incentivise the local production of diverse, safe, and nutritious food by linking smallholder farmers, farmer associations, and outgrower associations to schools as markets for their produce. WFP will also assist the Government in enhancing local regulatory frameworks and standardising food products to prevent food safety challenges,” the WFP’s strategy stated.
Meanwhile, Outcome 4 involves leveraging WFP’s expertise in supply chains to support the Government and other actors in Namibia, with the largest allocation of US$405,176 (N$7.2 million).
WFP highlights that “the outcome will be achieved, where possible, through the provision of on-demand services, including technical assistance, that support the Government and other actors in developing and improving supply chains in Namibia”.
The strategy also notes that logistics support could enhance the use of currently underutilised harbours in Walvis Bay and Lüderitz through connections to existing land transport corridors, which could also serve neighbouring landlocked countries.
WFP added that its extensive experience in temperature-sensitive logistics can benefit the Government in the transport, storage and handling of fresh produce.
