29 young women participated in a five-day training on Climate Smart Agriculture in Rundu recently. 

The aim of the training was to empower women micro-entrepreneurs in agriculture with the knowledge and tools needed to adapt to climate challenges, improve productivity, and build climate-resilient agriculture businesses. 

"We have a strong element that focuses on coaching and mentorship after the training. If you are a farmer, you cannot afford to be lazy, because if you are lazy, what is going to happen? You will die from hunger. Your family will die from hunger, your community will die of hunger, and the nation will die of hunger. So the farmer is very critical, more so a woman farmer, said Director of Community Development Rosina Mubonenwa.

The impacts of climate change continue to threaten agricultural productivity, food security, and livelihoods for small-scale farmers and women entrepreneurs who form the backbone of rural economies.

Scientific Officer in the Ministry of Agriculture, Katrina Moses, also emphasised the importance of the training.

"Farmers, they are facing challenges in terms of drought, food, pests, and all those things that are really hindering their produce, so now as agriculture, we need to train farmers on modern technology that is going to help farmers at least to improve their yield and also to overcome some of these climate challenges that they are facing in today's world."

The initiative is part of the program offered by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare in partnership with UN Women and with support from De Beers, Phase 2 of the Entrepreneur programme and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Land Reform.