Katima mulilo: The Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia (EIF) on Friday donated supplementary livestock feed valued at N$500 000 to the Zambezi Regional Council to assist flood-affected farmers in the region. The donation is expected to benefit more than 3,000 vulnerable livestock farmers, particularly those affected by flooding in the Kabbe North, Kabbe South, and Katima Rural constituencies. The feed was sourced from Agra Namibia in Rundu.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the Zambezi Regional Council's acting chief regional officer, Beaven Walubita, stated that the donation follows requests for assistance the regional council submitted to various corporate organisations during the floods. Walubita emphasized the need to arrange transport to move the donated feed from Rundu to Katima Mulilo, ensuring timely distribution to the targeted farmers before expiration.

Speaking at the official handover ceremony, EIF Chief Human Capital and Corporate Services Officer Elvis Mukaya reaffirmed the fund's commitment to supporting communities in the Zambezi Region. "No community should face the impacts of climate-induced disasters alone," Mukaya said. While the donation provides much-needed relief, he also highlighted the opportunity to enhance local agricultural production.

Mukaya pointed out that the need to source supplementary livestock feed from outside the Zambezi Region should encourage greater local investment in agriculture and regional self-reliance. "I therefore wish to encourage our regional leadership, traditional authorities, and development partners to champion sustainable agricultural initiatives that enable communities to produce their own livestock feed and establish community fodder banks," he stated.

Zambezi Governor Dorothy Kabula-Simushi received the donation on behalf of the regional council and expressed gratitude to the EIF for their timely support. "Your support comes at a critical time, when many of our livestock farmers are still recovering from the overwhelming floods that submerged their homes and grazing areas, significantly affecting livestock nutrition," she said. Kabula-Simushi added that the assistance would significantly help farmers maintain the health and productivity of their livestock.