Brussels Briefing n. 30Agricultural Resilience in the Face of Crises and

Shocks4th March 2013

http://brusselsbriefings.net

Building community resilience: Namibia Red Cross approaches and

successes Federico Fadiga, EU Red Cross

Building community resilience: Namibia Red Cross approaches and successes

Federico Fadiga

Resilence is at the core of Red Cross Red Crescenthumanitarian aid and development work

Building resilience is part of a multisectoral process involving multiple actors attempting to protect development gains in the longer term and to reduce the dramatic decline in development that disasters and crises cause.

For the IFRC, this highlights the overlapping nature of preparedness, relief, and recovery work and bridging these to more developmental work.

Characteristics of a resilient community:

Source: IFRC “Road to Resilience”, 2012

Red Cross Red Crescent building Resiliencein Southern Africa

Chronic hunger in southern Africa is forcing thousands of people into negative coping mechanisms. Assets are being sold, children are being taken out of school and made to work, sex is being traded for food. Children are malnourished, some acutely. Food prices are rising.

It is a silent disaster, fed by a recurrent drought- flood cycle that is continuing to worsen, affecting families and their ability to lead a productive life. Emergency food aid, on its own, is not enough. Real and effective recovery has to promote economic regeneration over the long term.

NAMIBIA - Country Context

• Area: 825.418 km2

• Population: 2.100.000

• Farming main source of livelihood

• Economic slow-down (+ 50% Unemployment)

• 17,8% HIV prevalence

•High TBC rates

• 24% -5y.o. stunted and underweight

• Vulnerability to environmental shocks (droughts / local floods)

Namibia Red Cross Integrated Food Security Project• Falls under the Diversified Agriculture and Livelihood Support Programme (DRR)– started 2011

• Goal:Increased and diversified production through correct use of soil and natural resources in Khomas, Caprivi, Ohangwena regions

• Cooperation with:Government, Spanish Red Cross, FAO, local communities & business

• Beneficiaries:Impoverished households and PLHIV in informal settlements

• Focus on locally available capacities and opportunities

• Community ownership and local knowledge as KEY elements for sustainability (beneficiaries involved in ALL phases of the programme)

Namibia Red Cross Integrated Food Security Project

• Organization of communities into groups and committees. Individuals share responsibilities and duties

• Main activities:backyard gardening, crop planting, goat pass-on, fisheries

• Trainings on:farming, hygiene, water use, disease control, group leadership, marketing…

•Namibia Red Cross provides start-up packs and liaise with local governments for training and advice

Lessons Learned• Projects built on local capacities/knowledge/resources have a higher success rates, are more sustainable and cheaper to manage

• Investments in agriculture and food security projects should be approached from a business perspective

• Need to integrate community needs into agriculture investments

•People engage more in projects when there is more than just the “primary benefit”

•Added value of Red Cross Volunteers at community level

Thank You

Links:Namibia Red Cross Red Cross / EU OfficeIFRC