GOBABIS: Executive Director (ED) in the Office of the Prime Minister, I-Ben Nashandi on Wednesday said the government is making use of technology to accelerate their assignments, including the delivery of drought relief food to affected communities.

Nashandi made the remarks at a three-day annual plan development workshop for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, taking place at Gobabis in the Omaheke Region.

The ED said the use of technology would improve the delivery of food assistance under the drought relief programme, adding that his office has observed that the logistics of extending services at times leads to delays.

‘We want to make sure that we undertake assessments because the rain this year is a bit challenging. Since last year there have been predictions that we will be having an El Niño phenomena that will have an impact on our food production and food security in particular,’ he said.

The grass condition in most parts of the country has not improved and this has necessitated his office to assess the si
tuation before the current drought relief programme ending in March lapses, he said.

Nashandi said his office has thus put concrete interventions in place to assist the most vulnerable communities.

‘Key to assisting is the timely delivery of that assistance, and that is what we are planning to do. Among other things, we are also going to review our administrative operational procedures and ensure effective coordination between offices in ministries and agencies and making sure that correct information reaches people appropriately,’ he expressed.

The ED also said his office has urged farmers to de-stock as early as possible while their livestock are in good condition, saying that it will become very challenging to sustain the animals throughout the drought.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency