24% of Namibian children under 5 stunted

According to the World Food Programme global hunger index, 24 percent of Namibian children under the age of 5 are stunted, and 6 percent are experiencing wasting. Between January and June 2024, over 190,000 (191,353) children were screened for malnutrition, with 10,151 receiving treatment. The Hardap Region reported the highest number of treated cases, with 2,891 children, followed by Ohangwena (1,747), Khomas (967), and Erongo (939).

In a report, the WFP said that the impact of the current global and national food-price crisis on food security is heightened by various factors, including low production of food and livestock in communal areas, mainly due to limited access to modern farming technologies and practices; poor soil fertility; overgrazing; prolonged dry spells; limited access to markets; and land-use practices. About 54 percentof smallholder farmers are women who live in communal areas, where access to land and water is challenging.