Food security in Namibia is expected to deteriorate significantly between October 2025 and March 2026, with over 612,000 people, representing 20 percent of the population, potentially facing high levels of acute food insecurity, according to recent report data.
The "Integrated Food Security Phase Classification" report for the period from July 2025 to June 2026 revealed that the expected deterioration in food security is due to the cessation of the government's drought assistance program in August, the high unemployment rate of 36.9 percent, and the poor condition of livestock in drought-prone areas. The document indicated that although most dam reserves are still filled at over 85 percent and grazing conditions are favorable, the national strategic food stock consists of only 3,505.7 tons, approximately 15 percent, leaving the country with a limited margin of safety. The source continued that the drought season "will expose thousands of families to severe food shortages, especially in regions such as Kunene, Kavango West, Zambezi, and Omaheke, where up to 30 percent of the population may face food shortages reaching crisis levels." The report noted that rising food prices, declining job opportunities, and declining purchasing power have all contributed to the exacerbation of family vulnerability, especially in rural and marginalized areas, pointing out that the annual inflation of food prices reached 6.4 percent in June, due to the rise in prices of fruits, meat, oils, and grains. It pointed to "the high prices of food that exert great pressure on low-income families, forcing many to reduce meals and not pay attention to their quality," highlighting, in contrast, that food security had improved significantly at the beginning of 2025 compared to the previous year, as the number of people suffering from food insecurity decreased from 1.15 million to 456,000 between July and September 2025. This improvement is attributed to a 75 percent increase in agricultural production and above-average rainfall, which restored life to pastures and water sources, according to the same source. According to the 2024 Global Hunger Index, Namibia (3 million people) suffers from a serious level of hunger and ranks 86th out of 121 countries. In May 2024, the Namibian government declared a state of emergency due to the drought caused by the El Niño phenomenon, which is considered the worst in 100 years. The unemployment rate in 2023 reached 36.9 percent for the entire population and 44.4 percent among young people.
