Africa-Press – Namibia. A TOTAL of over 3 700 Angolan immigrants live at Etunda, and protecting their livelihoods requires a collective effort from all Namibians and international friends. Hence the Ruacana Focal Landscape recently received funding close to N$1.7 million for a horticulture project and provision of basic needs.
According to Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism Pohamba Shifeta, most people living along the borderlands continue to suffer from climate shocks such as droughts, floods or heat waves which threaten most households, if not all, and especially impacts food security.
“They came to Namibia for survival due to the prolonged drought in their country,” Shifeta said.
“These people are in informal employment and they rarely receive assistance from the government.”
Shifeta applauded Omusati regional governor Erginus Endjala for assisting the Angolan immigrants in settling on the premises of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Namibia (ELCIN) in the Ruacana constituency.
Governor Endjala said since their arrival, his office continues to seek assistance for the Angolan immigrants. “As government alone we cannot do much, hence our plea to good Samaritans and international committees,” he said.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), through the Namibia Integrated Landscape Approach for Enhancing Livelihoods and Environmental Governance to Eradicate Poverty (NILALEG) project, assisted in acquiring funds from the Africa Borderlands Centre.
The NILALEG project is designed to promote a landscape management approach that integrates key agricultural and forest landscapes, reducing poverty through sustainable nature-based livelihoods, protecting and restoring forests as carbon sinks, and promoting land degradation neutrality.
Five focal landscapes fall under this project, of which Ruacana is one. The UNDP established the Africa Borderlands Centre which treats border regions as distinct economic and political zones in their own right.
The aim is to promote rapid recovery to Covid-19 and climate-induced shocks in Africa’s borderlands. UNDP resident representative Alka Bhatia said the items donated should improve livelihoods and promote food security.
“The UNDP is working closely with the government to integrate cross-border programming in Namibia to promote cross-border cooperation, empower borderlands communities, build resilience to climate changes, prevent and resolve conflicts, and empower women and youth to increase access to jobs and social protection.” Bhatia encouraged beneficiaries to generate maximum benefits ensuring contributions to food security in the country.
For More News And Analysis About Namibia Follow Africa-Press
