CBA Namibia: Harnessing Coping Strategies Via a Holistic Approach for Community Adaptation to Climate Change (CES)

As global climate change impacts become more eminent, one of the worst affected areas is Namibia. Yields for Namibia's small scale farmers are arguably the lowest in the world, a fact attributed to the country's dry climate and poor soils. In the communities of the Omusati, Ohangwena, Oshikoto, Oshana and Kavango regions, the majority of the community members are subsistence farmers who depend highly on rainfed dry land crops and livestock rearing for both subsistence and income. Climate change poses significant challenges to the poor and marginalized communities of these areas as it negatively affects food and water security, which in turn, jeopardizes their livelihoods.

This Community-Based Adaptation project uses six local interlinked climate change coping strategies to create a holistic approach to community-based adaptation. Most concepts are integrated and piloted in all the project sites, while some remain site-specific. Strategies include awareness-building interventions on climate change, coping strategies and nutritional needs, as well as social mobilization of community members into Self Help Groups (SHG). SHGs are created as a means of taking charge of their own development, savings and lending. Other strategies include ensuring water and food security through flood and rain harvesting for agricultural irrigation, livestock, and fish farming. Irrigated vegetable production using harvested flood and rain water supports HIV/AIDS affected families.

Additionally, dry land crop production is improved through composting, biochar, crop rotation, and conservation agriculture. Increased usage of improved drought resistant pearl millet varieties (the national staple food called “Mahangu”), rice, mushroom, and sweet stem are used for human nutrition as well as fodder security to boost availability of protein nutrition and incomes. Lastly, the use of energy efficient stoves and agroforestry combined with general reforestation techniques help sustain food security and income generation with no adverse impacts to the land and other natural resources.

This Community-Based Adaptation project is delivered through the Small Grants Programme (SGP), allowing for a fast, flexible and proven mechanism to reach communities and civil society at the local level. In addition, a UN Volunteer partners with UNDP and SGP to enhance community mobilization, recognize volunteers’ contribution and ensure inclusive participation around the project, as well as to facilitate capacity building of partner NGOs and CBOs.

Members of participating communities have played important roles during the formulation of the project. Women and young people, in particular, have committed to volunteer their time, labour, materials, and knowledge during its implementation. The project’s longevity will be ensured through training and awareness-raising programs that increase residents’ skills and knowledge in sustainable water harvesting, food and fodder security, agro-forestry and reforestation techniques, nutrition and entrepreneurship.

Other partners include Green Life Trust, Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Forestry, Agronomic Board, Royal Institute of Technology (Sweden). The Government of Japan has contributed to this CBA project, as well as to other CBA projects in Namibia and Niger. The activities supported by these funds include soil conservation, water harvesting, and development of the country-level CBA portfolio, including capacity-building for prospective NGOs. It is foreseen that these activities will contribute to the gathering and leveraging of lessons for effective policy impact at national levels.