WINDHOEK, Sept. 23 — Namibian Vice President Lucia Witbooi on Monday urged action to protect rural women farmers from climate shocks, calling for climate-smart agriculture, renewable energy, and equitable access to resources to break barriers to development.
Speaking at the official opening of the 8th session of the rural women parliament, Witbooi said rural women are the backbone of Namibia‘s agricultural economy, food systems, and family livelihoods, and must be supported to contribute fully to national development.
“This gathering is not merely a platform of dialogue but a beacon of hope and empowerment for our rural communities,” Witbooi said, stressing that men must be partners, not obstacles, in advancing gender equality and strengthening family and community resilience.
She urged stakeholders to ensure equitable access to land, credit, technology, and markets so that rural women can engage productively in agriculture and entrepreneurship, and called for expanded literacy, vocational training, and digital skills to empower women and youth to participate in the modern economy.
“Every barrier we break brings us closer to a more equitable Namibia,” Witbooi said.(Xinhua)
