Flooding in the Zambezi Region is having a devastating impact on farming communities, with many crop fields now submerged under water. Farmers have lost large portions of their crops, while others remain at risk as water levels continue to rise. This is raising serious concerns about food security and livelihoods.

With assistance from the Namibian Defence Force, officials from the flood response delegation conducted an aerial assessment of the affected areas this morning using a helicopter to see firsthand and understand the full extent of the damage, particularly to farms and domestic animals.

The delegation included Helen Likando, Director for Risk and Disaster Management in the Office of the Prime Minister; Bernard Sisamu, Chairperson of the Zambezi Regional Council and Kabbe North Councillor; the Minister for Urban and Rural Development, James Sankwasa; and James Nzehengwa, from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Land Reform.

Minister Sankwasa said the situation is critical in areas such as Mbalasinte and Kasika. Cattle are standing in water with no grazing land left, and many animals are at risk from being stranded on islands with a lack of food. At the same time, fields have either been flooded or are too wet to harvest, leaving farmers with little hope of saving their crops.

In villages such as Ibu, Ngoma, and Lake Liambezi, homes are not yet affected; however, fields have been completely submerged. In some areas, crops, especially maize, are still green and cannot be harvested or sold, making it difficult for farmers to recover any losses. 

There are now urgent calls for government support, including tractors and transport, to help farmers salvage what they can as the floods continue to worsen.