The government has allocated N$10 million to launch a new Food/Cash for Work Programme aimed at providing temporary employment and income support to vulnerable households while creating community infrastructure in rural areas.
Speaking at the 2026 Annual Rural Development Progress Review and Planning Workshop on behalf of the Minister of Urban and Rural Development, Deputy Minister Evelyn Nawases-Taeyele said the programme was introduced in response to rising socio-economic challenges, particularly high unemployment.
“For the first time this financial year, we have allocated N$10 million for the Food/Cash for Work Programme. This investment is important, especially considering that Namibia’s official unemployment rate stands at 36.9%, while 44.1% of young Namibians aged 15 to 34 are unemployed. Although this programme is not a permanent solution to unemployment, it provides immediate income support, creates community assets and strengthens resilience among vulnerable households,” she said.
Nawases-Taeyele said the ministry would continue advocating for increased funding to expand the programme and extend its benefits to more communities.
She noted that rural development remained a national priority, with 50.5% of Namibia’s population residing in rural areas, according to the 2023 Population and Housing Census.
The Deputy Minister called on regional councils to improve project implementation, strengthen accountability and ensure development funds translate into tangible improvements in people’s lives.
“Every delayed project and every unspent development dollar is a missed opportunity. Public resources are entrusted to us to improve lives, not to remain unused. Public trust is earned through action, accountability and results. The days of business as usual have come to an end. Going forward, performance matters,” Nawases-Taeyele said.
The Annual Rural Development Progress Review and Planning Workshop serves as a national platform to assess progress in rural development, identify implementation challenges and develop strategies to improve service delivery.
The workshop also forms part of the ongoing review of Namibia’s National Rural Development Policy and Strategy, which is intended to strengthen rural development planning and improve the delivery of development programmes across the country.
