1. Brussels Briefing n. 30Agricultural Resilience in the Face of Crises and Shocks 4th March 2013http://brusselsbriefings.netBuilding community resilience:Namibia Red Cross approaches and successes Federico Fadiga, EU Red Cross

2. Building community resilience:Namibia Red Cross approaches and successesFederico Fadiga 3. Resilence is at the core of Red Cross Red Crescenthumanitarian aid and development workCharacteristics of a resilient community:Building resilience is part of a multisectoral process involving multiple actors attempting to protect development gains in the longer term and to reduce the dramatic decline in development that disasters and crises cause. For the IFRC, this highlights the overlapping nature of preparedness, relief, and recovery work and bridging these to more developmental work.Source: IFRC Road to Resilience, 2012 4. Red Cross Red Crescent building Resiliencein Southern Africa Chronic hunger in southern Africa is forcing thousands of people into negative coping mechanisms. Assets are being sold, children are being taken out of school and made to work, sex is being traded for food. Children are malnourished, some acutely. Food prices are rising. It is a silent disaster, fed by a recurrent drought- flood cycle that is continuing to worsen, affecting families and their ability to lead a productive life. Emergency food aid, on its own, is not enough. Real and effective recovery has to promote economic regeneration over the long term. 5. NAMIBIA - Country Context Area: 825.418 km2 Population: 2.100.000 Farming main source oflivelihood Economic slow-down(+ 50% Unemployment) 17,8% HIV prevalenceHigh TBC rates 24% -5y.o. stunted andunderweight Vulnerability toenvironmental shocks (droughts/ local floods) 6. Namibia Red Cross Integrated Food Security Project Falls under the Diversified Agriculture and Livelihood Support Programme (DRR) started 2011 Goal: Increased and diversified production through correct use of soil and natural resources in Khomas, Caprivi, Ohangwena regions Cooperation with: Government, Spanish Red Cross, FAO, local communities & business Beneficiaries: Impoverished households and PLHIV in informal settlements Focus on locally available capacities and opportunities Community ownership and local knowledge as KEY elements for sustainability (beneficiaries involved in ALL phases of the programme) 7. Namibia Red Cross Integrated Food Security Project Organization of communities into groups and committees. Individuals share responsibilities and duties Main activities: backyard gardening, crop planting, goat pass-on, fisheries Trainings on: farming, hygiene, water use, disease control, group leadership, marketing Namibia Red Cross provides start-up packs and liaise with local governments for training and advice 8. Lessons Learned Projects built on localcapacities/knowledge/resourceshave a higher success rates, aremore sustainable and cheaperto manage Investments in agriculture andfood security projects should beapproached from a businessperspective Need to integrate communityneeds into agricultureinvestmentsPeople engage more inprojects when there is morethan just the primary benefitAdded value of Red CrossVolunteers at community level 9. Thank YouLinks:Namibia Red CrossRed Cross / EU OfficeIFRC 10. Thank YouLinks:Namibia Red CrossRed Cross / EU OfficeIFRC