Adjusting Community Based Agriculture Practices to Reduce Climate Change Risk in the Omusati Region (CBA/NAM/SPA/09/01)

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Project Details & Results

The project aims to increase community-level capacity to be able to adapt to climate changes through implementation of sustainable agricultural pracitices at four project sides targeting communities, from increased climate change driven water scarcity, siol erosion, soil infertility, decreasing of ungue tree species and other environmental hardships that decrease community livelihoods.

Notable Community Participation

Ideas for this project were identified during public meetings between the community, and the Desert Research Foundation of Namibia (DFRN), initially. Thereafter, the OIKE Committee requested the coordinator Ottilie M. Amaambo to compile the draft concept as well as the overall concept. OIKE planned six (6) stakeholder meetings one (1) at each project sites that makes four (4) and two at Onkani centre. These two (2) are considered as big workshops because all project sites chairpersons are invited by OIKE to attend the informative meetings. The main goal of the workshops was to discuss and sharing information that will enables the facilitators to assist in compiling the overall final concept.

Capacity - Building Component
The project will build the capacity of communities to manage soil resources in ways that will reduce land degradation risks in the face of increasing rainfall variability, raise awareness of climate change, and improve access to water through rainwater collection and improved wells. The project will also share lessons with stakeholders nationally and globally. Raising awareness on Climate Change will be the order of the day. The CBA sister programme within the North Central region, the CCA is in the process of developing modules for capacity awareness on climate change. The CCA has commissioned an information toolkit on climate Change and that is now available and is also distributed to OIKE and its members. This toolkit can be found on the website of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism. OIKE wants to make use of this information type packages already developed for their awareness campaigns. Participatory sessions will be held with different groups for addressing climate change in the area. Climate change experts need to be invited to speak on climate change and associated risk on a frequent basis.

Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods

The sustainability of the project will be ensured through capacity building of not only the field staff as identified by the OIKE but all community members involved in the project. Participatory approaches will be followed for capacity building and this will involve the community as a whole to implement better, improved mechanism for e.g. water infrastructure, reforestation, animal husbandry and awareness creation on climate change and its impact on the livelihoods of the community. We hope that this project lead community into taking up new or other community initiatives e.g. building up entrepreneurships (small irrigation schemes that can produce cash crops) , tourism entities to gain benefit out of their natural resources.

Gender Focus
The Projects Management Structure comprise of seven members of which five are women. Almost all team leaders in different villages are women.

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment
OIKE wants to support communities for ensuring preservation of their soils, conservation and restoration of the structure and functionality of the ecosystem; this is focused with in the OP 15 of the GEF focal area in Land degradation, whilst it supports potential activities that seek the creation of community-based livelihood alternatives to relieve pressure on conservation areas.

OIKE Chairlady and Onakapia cultivation site leader

OIKE Chairlady explaining Green House Effect

Financial Management training for OIKE