The Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia (EIF) has mobilised more than N$5 billion in climate finance to strengthen community resilience, improve access to water, and enhance disaster preparedness across the country.
Speaking at the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction commemoration in Windhoek, EIF Chief Executive Officer Benedict Libanda said the funds, sourced from multilateral and bilateral partners including the Green Climate Fund, have been invested in projects aimed at reducing climate vulnerability and promoting sustainable livelihoods.
“To date, EIF has mobilised over N$5 billion in climate-related resources from multilateral and bilateral partners, including the Green Climate Fund. These resources have been invested directly into projects that strengthen resilience, promote sustainable livelihoods, and enhance early warning and disaster preparedness systems across Namibia,” Libanda said.
He noted that Namibia faces significant climate risks, with projections from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) indicating a potential four percent decline in annual rainfall and a ten percent increase in evaporation rates under a 1.5°C temperature rise.
At higher global temperature levels, Libanda warned, the country could experience more intense droughts, unpredictable floods, and worsening food and water insecurity.
In response, the EIF has prioritised long-term resilience. Over the past three years, the institution has financed the drilling and rehabilitation of more than 180 boreholes across ten regions, providing potable water to thousands of rural households, farmers, and schools. These interventions, Libanda said, have helped reduce vulnerability to drought and water scarcity.
Through its national call for proposals, the fund continues to support climate-smart agriculture, community-based adaptation, and sustainable natural resource management, with a particular focus on youth and women-led initiatives.
Libanda highlighted the Integrated Regional Ecosystem Management Project (IREMA) as one of the EIF’s flagship programmes, enhancing early warning systems, supporting drought recovery, and helping smallholder farmers rebuild livelihoods through a small-stock revolving scheme.
The EIF is also supporting the establishment of the National Emergency Operations Centre, which will coordinate disaster response and preparedness at the national level.
“Disaster risk reduction is not the responsibility of one sector or one institution. It is a shared national and global commitment,” Libanda said, adding that Namibia must shift from a crisis-response mindset to proactive resilience-building.
He reaffirmed the EIF’s commitment to mobilising resources, empowering communities, and driving innovation towards a climate-resilient and sustainable Namibia.
