WINDHOEK, Feb. 18– Namibia’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Land Reform has reported a mixed outlook for the upcoming agricultural season, Acting Executive Director Teofilus Nghitila said, citing seed shortages and locust infestations in some regions.
The southern African country experienced an early onset of rainfall, with some areas receiving showers as early as October and November 2025, Nghitila said, referring to the findings of the Agricultural Inputs, Livestock and Household Food Security Assessment report, which was released Monday.
Namibia is forecasted to receive normal to above-normal rainfall for the remainder of the season. The ministry faces challenges in providing sufficient seed, with only 280.5 metric tons allocated out of the 541 metric tons requested by crop-producing regions, Nghitila said.
“Grazing conditions are fair, but the available grass is dry and lacks nutrients, prompting farmers to supplement their livestock,” he said. According to the report, livestock body conditions are fair to good, and water availability is not a major concern.
The report noted that the Zambezi Region is battling locust infestations, which pose a threat to crop production and grazing areas. “The infestation has destroyed grazing areas and tree leaves, posing a serious threat to crop production as the cropping season approaches,” the report explained.
According to the report, the ministry has deployed control teams and vehicles to conduct surveillance and spraying operations.
The assessment was conducted in the seven major northern communal crop-producing regions from Nov. 3 to 21, 2025. The main purpose of the assessment was to assess the overall agricultural input situation at the household and regional levels and to find out to what extent farmers are prepared for the 2025/2026 cropping season.
Meanwhile, according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, approximately 612,000 people in Namibia, or about one-fifth of the population, are projected to face high levels of acute food insecurity from October 2025 to March 2026.
“The regions expected to experience the highest levels of food insecurity include Kunene, as well as Kavango West, Zambezi, and Omaheke,” the report said. (Namibia Daily News / Xinhua)
