Niël Terblanché
In the face of the worst drought to hit Southern Africa in decades, the government of the United States of America, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), has provided 14 tons of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) to Namibia.
This vital nutritional aid, distributed in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Social Services and UNICEF, aims to address the alarming malnutrition rates among children under five years old, exacerbated by the ongoing food insecurity crisis.
According to a statement issued by the US Embassy in Namibia, the country is currently in the grip of a devastating drought that has plunged nearly half of its population into acute food insecurity.
According to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis, approximately 1.4 million Namibians are experiencing severe food shortages.
Cereal production has dropped by 53%, and dam water levels have decreased by 70% compared to the previous year, leaving households vulnerable and desperate.
The drought has hit the Karas region particularly hard.
According to the statement, the region saw agricultural production and farm labour income collapse which worsened food insecurity and malnutrition among adults and children.
According to the World Food Program, 24% of children under five years old are stunted, and 6% suffer from wasting nationally.
Both conditions, indicative of chronic and acute malnutrition respectively, have severe implications for physical and cognitive development.
RUTF is a critical intervention for children diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition.
The nutrient-rich paste is distributed through health facilities and administered to children over three months, helping them recover to a healthier weight.
Once children achieve specific recovery milestones, they are typically transitioned to Ready-to-Use Supplementary Food (RUSF) for moderate malnutrition cases.
Namibia currently faces a total absence of RUSF supplies, posing challenges to sustained recovery and increasing the risk of relapse.
For residents of the Karas region, additional challenges come from frequent migration in search of work, which complicates the tracking and management of patient records.
The RUTF delivery is part of a broader USAID partnership with Chevron, which has committed over N$6.7 million for drought relief and water access projects in Namibia.
According to the embassy’s statement, the immediate provision of RUTF addresses urgent needs but the absence of RUSF and the systemic challenges faced by communities highlight the ongoing need for sustainable support.
