Namibia’s food security situation has improved significantly in 2025 compared to the previous year. In the current period (July to September 2025), approximately 456,000 people (15 percent of the analysed population) are experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above)—a sharp decrease from 1.15 million in the same period last year. While three regions (Kunene, Kavango West, and Zambezi) remain in IPC Phase 3 (Crisis), the rest of the country is classified in IPC Phase 2 (Stressed), with households experiencing minimally adequate food consumption but struggling to meet essential non-food needs without resorting to negative coping mechanisms. This improvement is largely due to above-average rainfall during the 2024/25 season, increased crop production, improved rangeland conditions, and coordinated interventions by the government and development partners.
The food security situation is expected to deteriorate during the lean season (October to March 2026), with projections showing an increase to 612,000 people (20 percent) in Phase 3. This worsening is attributed to the discontinuation of the countrywide drought relief from the Government in August 2025, reduced labour opportunities, high unemployment (nationally at 36.9 percent as per the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA)), and poor livestock conditions in drought-prone areas.