The Government of Japan has significantly scaled up its commitment to Namibia’s agricultural sector, contributing approximately N$48 million this year.This substantial injection surpasses the combined total of N$40.7 million provided over the previous three years, signaling a deepening partnership focused on climate-resilient farming.
The announcement was made in Windhoek by the Japanese Ambassador to Namibia, Shinichi Asazuma, during the official exchange of notes and signing ceremony for the project, “Enhancing Resilience of Farming Communities Affected by Drought Through the Promotion of Adaptive Agriculture.” Ambassador Asazuma emphasized that Japan’s support aims to positively impact rural communities by increasing productivity through Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) interventions. This will be achieved using innovative, efficient, and climate-smart technologies and practices designed to enhance the resilience of rural livelihoods to climate-induced shocks and improve household food security.
The new 24-month project, with a total grant of approximately N$48 million, will commence implementation immediately. It represents a major acceleration of aid compared to past efforts, which included a N$40.7 million combined total for three preceding projects. These earlier initiatives covered diverse, urgent needs: “Emergency Response to Enhance Resilience and Mitigate Climate-Induced Impacts on Livelihoods, Food and Nutrition Security of the Most Vulnerable Households in Namibia” (2022); “Emergency Response to Mitigate Multiple Shocks and Enhance Resilient Livelihoods in Namibia” (2023); and “Emergency Response and Resilience Building to Improve Livelihoods, Food Security and Nutrition in Locust-Affected Regions of Namibia” (last year).
Ambassador Asazuma noted that this expanded funding aligns directly with the priorities of President Nandi-Ndaitwah, who champions food security and climate-resilient, competitive agriculture. The President has set an ambitious national target to reduce agricultural imports by 80% by 2030. This domestic goal is consistent with the broader objectives outlined in the Yokohama Declaration, which focuses on strengthening agricultural systems across Africa to eliminate poverty and food insecurity. The substantial new project under the Japan Grant Assistance scheme underscores a critical shared commitment to national development and climate adaptation.
