Namibia is grappling with rising food inflation, despite a rebound in cereal production following last year’s drought, according to the latest Global Information and Early Warning System (GIEWS) report by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The report reveals that Namibia’s annual food inflation rate reached 6.4% in June 2025, up from 4.3% recorded in the same month in 2023.
“The increase was largely driven by rising prices of meat, fruit and vegetables, while prices of bread and cereals, key staple foods, rose at a slower pace over the same period,” the FAO stated.
The inflationary pressure comes despite a significant recovery in domestic cereal yields, underpinned by well-distributed rainfall between January and April 2025.
The improved weather conditions are expected to push this year’s cereal output close to the five-year average, easing the country’s reliance on imports.
Namibia, a net importer of cereals, brought in approximately 290,000 tonnes of maize during the 2024/25 marketing year to make up for production shortfalls.
However, the FAO noted that regional recovery, particularly in South Africa, has increased export availability and helped stabilise wholesale grain prices.
