The Ministry of Urban and Rural Development says its Food and Cash for Work (FCFW) programme, implemented under the National Rural Development Policy (NRDP), has created over 600 temporary jobs in rural Namibia.
The programme provides food and occasional cash payments to unemployed adults who work on local development projects.
These projects include poultry and livestock farming, vegetable growing, classroom and bridge construction, earth dams and debuting.
“Over 600 temporary jobs were created through the Food/Cash for Work programme in rural areas,” Minister of Urban and Rural Development Erastus Uutoni said, highlighting the achievements of the programme during the 2024 Annual Rural Development and Progress Review and Planning Workshop at Keetmanshoop.
Other programmes the Minister noted include over 50 grants, totalling more than N$8 million, which were provided to communities by regional councils for micro-finance and food security projects.
He also reported that the programme created over 100 temporary jobs for young artisans through the Rural Development Centres.
“These artisans were involved in manufacturing productive equipment,” Uutoni stated.
Uutoni noted the increased interest in rural entrepreneurship, particularly in poultry and horticulture.
“Training and mentorship sessions have been provided to rural entrepreneurs through the Rural Development Centres, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, the Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare, Agribank, and One Economy Foundation,” he said.
The minister acknowledged the support from development partners and the private sector.
“We appreciate the support of the United Nations World Food Programme, valued at N$8.4 million, and the Rossing Foundation for our Rapid Rural Transformation Initiative,” Uutoni added.
The initiative, which is being piloted in Omaheke Region and will soon extend to Kunene Region, aims to build resilience and self-help capacity in rural communities, especially for women and youth.
Looking ahead, Uutoni emphasised the need to use lessons from previous programmes to enhance future rural development efforts.
“We must create a supportive environment for entrepreneurship at the regional level to generate jobs and opportunities for rural development,” he said.
The Minister also stressed the importance of coordination among stakeholders noting that rural development is multi-faceted and consists of various role players.
“We must avoid working in silos and should pull in the same direction where we plan and execute our activities in an integrated manner. Resources are hard to come by nowadays, and we must prioritise and optimally use the limited resources at our disposal and do more with less. For what is entrusted to us, there must be full and collective accountability,” Uutoni said.
