FAO GIEWS Country Brief on Namibia –

FOOD SECURITY SNAPSHOT Rebound in 2026 cereal production Livestock conditions improve Cereal import needs fall in 2026/27 marketing year Food inflation eases in 2026 Overall improvement in acute food insecurity Rebound in cereal production in 2026 Cereal production in 2026 is expected to recover strongly from the low output in 2025, largely attributed to favourable weather conditions. The main summer crops were harvested by July, while the winter wheat crop is to be harvested from October. Estimated at 155 000 tonnes, the 2026 cereal production is nearly 40 percent above the previous five‑year average and more than twice the 2025 outturn. Most of the increase stems from a sharp rise in maize production in the commercial sector, where yields nearly doubled compared with the previous five‑year average. The commercial sector typically accounts for about two‑thirds of national cereal output, but in 2026 its share rose to nearly 80 percent. By contrast, cereal production in the communal sector was estimated to be below average in 2026, despite increasing by just over 20 percent year on year. Below‑average outputs were recorded across all cereal crops (maize, millet and sorghum) with maize registering the largest decrease. The Zambezi Region has been the only area of the country where production fell in 2026, driven by outbreaks of migratory red locust and heavy rainfall between February and April, which caused flooding and crop damage that particularly affected the maize crop. Livestock conditions improve Reflecting the overall conducive weather conditions in 2025/26, pasture and water availability improved. As a result, livestock body conditions have strengthened markedly across most of the country in 2026, with the northeast, central, eastern and southern regions reporting good to very good body conditions and the north-central regions reporting fair to good conditions. Cereal import needs fall in the 2026/27 marketing year The country is a net importer of cereals, wit