The World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that funding shortages are limiting its ability to strengthen Namibia’s food security and emergency preparedness programmes, despite a marked improvement in humanitarian conditions following good rainfall, government drought relief measures and food assistance.
According to the WFP Namibia Country Brief for June 2026, Namibia continues to face climate-related threats, including floods, drought and outbreaks of African migratory locusts.
The agency also warned that emerging El Niño risks, rising fuel and transport costs, and higher staple food prices continue to threaten vulnerable households.
WFP said timely donor support is critical to reducing the need for more costly emergency interventions later this year.
According to the report, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) estimated that 456,000 people would require food assistance between July 2025 and June 2026, down from 1.15 million during the corresponding period a year earlier.
The agency attributed the improvement to nutrition-sensitive food assistance provided during the El Niño-induced drought, government drought relief interventions, support from development partners and favourable rainfall.
WFP said its 2025-2029 Country Strategic Plan focuses on strengthening emergency preparedness and early action, improving social protection systems, supporting food systems and livelihoods for smallholder farmers, and providing on-demand technical support to government.
The agency also reported progress in distributing rice donated by the Republic of Korea through its Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
“The 4,896 metric tonnes of rice, valued at US$3.6 million, is intended to benefit 384,935 households affected by the 2024/25 El Niño-induced drought across all 14 regions,” WFP said.
By the end of June 2026, 4,354 metric tonnes, representing 89% of the planned distribution, had been delivered. Distribution has been completed in Omusati, Oshana, Ohangwena, Zambezi, Hardap, Khomas and Erongo, while deliveries to the remaining regions are expected to be completed before December 2026.
The agency said high food prices, broader economic pressures linked to the Middle East conflict, rising fuel costs and limited transport capacity continue to affect food security and slow last-mile deliveries.
WFP also reported that government officials completed a five-day Vulnerability Assessment and Analysis capacity-building workshop in June, with most members of the Namibia Vulnerability Assessment Committee achieving proficiency levels of 80% or higher in food security analysis and digital data collection. A standardised data collection tool is also being finalised.
In addition, the agency said it is supporting the implementation of the Cluster of Sustainable Villages initiative in partnership with the Namibian government.
“The programme has validated operating guidelines, developed implementation plans for three sites in Kavango West and established a monitoring framework. The first planting activities are scheduled for the third quarter of 2026, with initial harvests and cooperative income generation expected in early 2027,” the report said.
Despite these advances, WFP said its operations remain significantly underfunded. The agency requires US$3.2 million to finance its Namibia country portfolio between June and November 2026, but had secured only US$180,000 at the time of reporting.
