Billions of dollars will be required to address the devastating impact of the drought on the country’s farming community, the Namibia Emerging Commercial Farmer's Union (NECFU) has predicted. The President of the grouping, Ndahafa Nghifindaka warned that farmer’s losses attributed to the persistent drought were amounting to over N$300 million, while it will take years to address the losses. “There is no region in Namibia at this stage which is not affected by drought.  That is why we called it "national crisis” in all 14 regions. Both human and livestock have been affected by drought to the extreme in the sense that it diminishes usable land and unpredictable water resources.” Quizzed on which farmers had been hard hit by the drought effects, she said, “both crops, subsistence, large stock and game farming (communal, emerging commercial and commercial farmers) are at this stage in the same boat.” The NECFU president said the impact of the drought was also contributing in the levels of poverty in the farming community, as households were struggling to survive. “It affects food security and grazing for game and livestock. It also takes its toll on the household survival and deepening poverty and on one side increase crime in some parts of the country. Women and children, men and older persons citizens of this land of brave are in dare need of food, some shelters (those flooded), some failed to make up to school fees of their children due to inadequate financial resources (farmers who are depending on their livestock and other related means of survival).” On government’s response to the crisis in the sector, Nghifindaka said government was still to pronounce itself, amid claims by some quarters in the sector that it was working with a wait and see approach before it intervenes. “The GRN is yet to pronounce itself on the drought situation, but the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry showed sympathy and welcomed the initiatives taken by Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU) and NECFU,” she said. According to recent cabinet resolutions, to N$572 million will be availed under a Comprehensive Drought Intervention plan, with the aim of funding Food Assistance; Water Tankers; Livestock Management Incentives; Transport Subsidy to and from grazing areas, as well as transport for fodder; Lease of Grazing Area; Subsidy for Crop Farmers; Lick Supplement for lock herd and Fodder Subsidy for the core herd. On the way forward, Nghifindaka said farmers should work towards reducing their animal stocks, to mitigate their losses. “Farmers should try to fatten their animals as soon as possible and reduce stock, buy animal feed at subsidized,” she said. This comes as farmer organization, including the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU), the Namibia Emerging Commercial Farmers Union (NECFU) and the private sector joined hands under the umbrella of the Dare to Care Fund which is administered by the NAU, with the aim of drought-stricken communal, emerging commercial and commercial farmers. The Dare to Care fundraising action is based on three pillars, namely a marketing action to collect N$10 million by the end of March 2019; to ensure complete transparency in the management of the fund; and the implementation of the subsidy on feed for drought aid. According to latest figures, the Dare to Care Disaster Fund has raised N$2.2 million. Source – https://www.observer.com.na