The third phase of the Future Rural Africa research programme has been launched at the University of Namibia's Katima Mulilo Campus, with stakeholders calling for research to translate into practical solutions that support sustainable development and improve livelihoods in rural communities.
Residents of Otjitho Village in the Ruacana Constituency are facing a severe water shortage after their underground water supply dried up.
The situation has forced some residents to spend nights at the water point to get water when it becomes available.
In the Omaheke Region, farming is part of everyday life. For many people here, especially in rural communities, livestock farming is not just a business. It is how families earn an income, put food on the table and support their households.
Kavango East Regional Council has called for urgent government intervention to improve access to safe drinking water, saying many communities living along the Kavango River still rely directly on the river for water.
What do you call a person whose responsibility is to produce nourishment that is able to sustain life? A farmer
Others refer to them as our everyday heroes.
They make sure we have food, despite extreme weather conditions. Their work is physically demanding and financially taxing.
The government has highlighted that traditional midwives remain an important part of maternal healthcare, particularly in rural communities where access to formal health services is limited.
Residents of Onamishu in the Eengodi Constituency of the Oshikoto Region have raised concerns over taps running dry.
During the autumn and winter seasons, water supply becomes limited compared to the rainy season.
Residents of Otapatapa Village in the Otamanzi Constituency of the Omusati Region are pleading for urgent government intervention after a prolonged drought left the community without water for both people and livestock.
The minister of Urban and Rural Development revealed that more than half of Namibia's population lives in rural areas, placing renewed pressure on the government to accelerate development and improve services delivery in underserved communities.
The Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform, Ruthy Masake, says that despite efforts to drill boreholes for communities in remote areas, saline water remains a persistent challenge.
