Community Gardens Contributing to Food Security

In an effort to contribute to national food security and improved nutrition, many Namibians are taking up small-scale gardening projects.

One such champion is Lena Kasper (59), a resident of Utusib village, located near the Kuiseb River in Erongo region, 35km from Walvis Bay.

Kasper, who has a small-scale backyard garden at Utusib, said she started with her project in 2016. She then received some assistance from the GiZ-funded Farming for Resilience project, implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, which enabled her to expand her garden.

Among others, Kasper grows tomatoes, spinach, onions, sweet potatoes and green beans. She also has moringa and lemon trees.

Kasper said the major challenge she is facing is water scarcity. She currently irrigates her garden with water supplied by NamWater, which is expensive. Due to the excessive heat during the day which causes high evaporation, she is forced to water her garden during the night.

She said her garden is contributing to the much-needed nutrition for her family, while some of her produce is sold to local residents.

At Swartbank, which is a stone’s throw south of Utusib, there is a community garden where members of the project have planted chillies, tomatoes and green pepper, among others.

However, with only one solar-powered borehole serving the entire community, the project is also faced with water challenges. Fanuel

/Khurisab (33), one of the members of the community project, said the single borehole was not enough to serve the entire Swartbank community and also support the garden project.

Both Utusib and Swartbank settlements are inhibited by the Topnaar people – a clan of the Nama people of Namibia.