Namibia’s food security situation has improved significantly in 2025 compared to the previous year. In the current period (July to September 2025), approximately 456,000 people (15 percent of the analysed population) are experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above)—a sharp decrease from 1.15 million in the same period last year. While three regions (Kunene, Kavango West, and Zambezi) remain in IPC Phase 3 (Crisis), the rest of the country is classified in IPC Phase 2 (Stressed), with households experiencing minimally adequate food consumption but struggling to meet essential non-food needs without resorting to negative coping mechanisms. This improvement is largely due to above-average rainfall during the 2024/25 season, increased crop production, improved rangeland conditions, and coordinated interventions by the government and development partners. 

The food security situation is expected to deteriorate during the lean season (October to March 2026), with projections showing an increase to 612,000 people (20 percent) in Phase 3. This worsening is attributed to the discontinuation of the countrywide drought relief from the Government in August 2025,reduced labour opportunities, high unemployment (nationally at 36.9 percent as per the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA)),and poor livestock conditions in drought-prone areas.

Urgent action is required to reduce food consumption gaps and protect livelihoods for populations, especially those classified in Crisis (IPC Phase 3). 

• Continue with provision of welfare grants (social grants or social assistance) to qualified beneficiaries, as well the
• provision of food assistance to marginalised communities and Conditional Basic Income Grant through cash transfer
• (previous known as Food Bank) to qualifying beneficiaries in urban and peri-urban areas.
• Strengthen the provision of the rural water supply programme to address water shortages and accelerate the
• provision of sanitation facilities in all communities.
• Strengthen the nutrition programme for assessing acute malnutrition cases, and refer cases to existing feeding
• programmes.
• Carry out a persistent food insecurity assessment, to help identify the underlying long-term drivers of hunger beyond
• short-term shocks. This would provide evidence for targeted policies and programs that strengthen resilience,
• improve livelihoods, and reduce reliance on emergency relief, thereby supporting sustainable food security in the
• country. This would also help Namibia prioritise resources, guide social protection programs, and monitor progress
• toward sustainable food security.
• Strengthen veterinary and pest control services.
• Enhance timely supply of agricultural inputs such as tractors, fuel, and seeds. This will enable farmers to prepare land
• and plant on schedule, thereby improving productivity and reducing vulnerability to food insecurity.
• Strengthen the first 1,000 days nutrition campaign due to high stunting rates (29.5 percent) as per the SMART survey
• 2024.
• Conduct SMART surveys annually to ensure continuous and reliable monitoring of nutrition and food security trends.
• Since the last survey was conducted last year, it is recommended that another round be carried out this year to
• provide updated evidence for planning and interventions.
• Introduce food-for-work programmes to provide immediate food support to vulnerable households while engaging
• them in community development activities, in both urban, peri-urban and rural areas. This approach helps address
• short-term food insecurity and, at the same time, building or rehabilitating community assets (such as water points,
• roads, or markets) that support longer-term livelihood resilience.
• Ensure fair land access for home/community gardens, prioritizing marginalized groups and women to boost resilience.
• Strengthen the awareness creation of the Solar Revolving fund to build resilience by providing relief to electricity
• users