Windhoek works towards food security

WINDHOEK mayor Sade Gawanas says the City of Windhoek is committed to improving food security and nutrition among households and community members.

She said this at an event hosted to celebrate Farm Okukuna's project achievements through the Build Back Better (BBB) initiative which the city and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) held on Tuesday.

The initiative, funded by the Japanese government, seeks to enhance Namibia's food systems to recover from emergencies and disease-related shocks.

The challenges posed by rapid urbanisation also present opportunities to mitigate the risk of food insecurity and unlock revenue generation and employment through urban agriculture projects, Gawanas said.

Farm Okukuna is one such project established by the City of Windhoek in 2017 to be the go-to agricultural produce hub for Windhoek residents, Namibia at large, and tourists.

Local communities have benefited greatly from the BBB project.

Annatolia Shipale, a project beneficiary, has expressed her gratitude, saying she is now able to grow food to feed her family and generate income.

“I can also pass my skills and knowledge on to members of my community,” she said.

UNDP resident representative Alka Bhatia commended the City of Windhoek's leadership for demonstrating that integrated farming is viable in urban settings and urged the city to expedite Farm Okukuna's progress.

She reassured the continued support of the UNDP in efforts to promote self-sufficiency and a sustainable food future for Namibia.

City councillor Queen Kamati thanked key role-players for their unwavering commitment and support of Farm Okukuna, and for ensuring the City of Windhoek achieves the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals relating to food security and nutrition, as well as for addressing hunger at local level.

The event was attended by City of Windhoek councillors and officials, the UNDP resident representative, a representative of the embassy of Japan, representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, and project beneficiaries.