Food security workshop held in Khorixas

KHORIXAS – At least 30 people participated in a three-day regional food security and nutrition action plan workshop that started in Khorixas last week.

Speaking at the occasion, Khorixas Constituency Councillor, Sebastian !Gobs on behalf of Kunene Governor Dudu Murorua said it was the first time in the history of the region to come up action to address food insecurity, poverty, vulnerability and regional development. Murorua said he was happy about presentation of participants from all six constituencies, adding that he believes that it would form a multi-disciplinary think-tank that is ready to discuss and commend on the draft constituency action plan on food security and nutrition, that will culminate into the region’s action plan on food security and nutrition.”Your turn up in large numbers to this workshop express your aspirations and commitment as well as dedication to address the issues pertinent to food security, poverty reduction and regional development for Kunene,” he said.!Gobs said Namibia is faced by numerous daunting challenges and threats of which poverty, orphans and vulnerability, HIV-AIDS, food insecurity and lack of financial resources to develop the supportive infrastructure are some of the pressing ones.”In case of Kunene Region, remoteness, unemployment, insecure land tenure, food production, infrastructure development, poverty and its associated elements are some of the daunting challenges and thus justify the need for the region specific action plan on food security and nutrition to specifically address these challenges,” Murorua noted.He commended the food security and nutrition development project for organising the workshop.He said given the fact that food is one of the basic needs, it should be internalised in such a manner that everyone makes positive contributions towards food production so that the region and the country can substantially reduce food insecurity, hunger and poverty.”It is, therefore, on that pretext that a bottom-up approach that bring at least the majority if not everyone on board to address food insecurity, poverty and vulnerability was adopted to formulate the draft regional action plan on food security and nutrition on our table today,” said Murorua.Murorua said Namibia’s Food Security and Nutrition Programme Policy has realised that the country is a drought-prone country with a driest climate in the sub-Sahara Africa and this clearly shows that the country needs to plan properly within its limits to ensure a sustainable livelihoods of its society.-NampaMurorua said he was happy about presentation of participants from all six constituencies, adding that he believes that it would form a multi-disciplinary think-tank that is ready to discuss and commend on the draft constituency action plan on food security and nutrition, that will culminate into the region’s action plan on food security and nutrition. “Your turn up in large numbers to this workshop express your aspirations and commitment as well as dedication to address the issues pertinent to food security, poverty reduction and regional development for Kunene,” he said. !Gobs said Namibia is faced by numerous daunting challenges and threats of which poverty, orphans and vulnerability, HIV-AIDS, food insecurity and lack of financial resources to develop the supportive infrastructure are some of the pressing ones. “In case of Kunene Region, remoteness, unemployment, insecure land tenure, food production, infrastructure development, poverty and its associated elements are some of the daunting challenges and thus justify the need for the region specific action plan on food security and nutrition to specifically address these challenges,” Murorua noted. He commended the food security and nutrition development project for organising the workshop. He said given the fact that food is one of the basic needs, it should be internalised in such a manner that everyone makes positive contributions towards food production so that the region and the country can substantially reduce food insecurity, hunger and poverty. “It is, therefore, on that pretext that a bottom-up approach that bring at least the majority if not everyone on board to address food insecurity, poverty and vulnerability was adopted to formulate the draft regional action plan on food security and nutrition on our table today,” said Murorua. Murorua said Namibia’s Food Security and Nutrition Programme Policy has realised that the country is a drought-prone country with a driest climate in the sub-Sahara Africa and this clearly shows that the country needs to plan properly within its limits to ensure a sustainable livelihoods of its society.-Nampa