UN Namibia Convenes 3rd Sustainable Development Dialogue Series (SDDS) on Financing Food Security with International Financial Institutions (IFIs)

The SDDS, an initiative of UN Namibia, seeks to foster multi-sectoral and multi-disciplinary exchange of knowledge and information on contemporary issues that influence the achievement of the SDGs.

This Dialogue of UN Namibia’s SDDS follows-up on the Namibia National Dialogues, mobilizing support for strengthening the Food System in Namibia, during this Decade of Action for the SDGs. The National Dialogues aim to shape the national pathways to sustainable food systems and  express the commitment to support the pathways from a broad range of stakeholders. They provide opportunities for stakeholders to engage in preparations for the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit to be convened by the UN Secretary General at the United Nations General Assembly on 23 September in New York. The overall objective of the Food Systems Summit is to launch bold new actions to deliver progress on all 17 SDGs, each of which relies to some degree on healthier, more sustainable and equitable food systems. The 3rd SDSS was moderated by Ms. Farayi Zimudidzi, Representative of FAO Namibia and Chair of the Economic Progression Pillar of the United Nations Partnership Agreement Framework (UNPAF). Mr. Elvis Odeke, Head of Programmes at WFP Namibia presented the Key Messages Emerging from the Namibia National Food Systems Summit Dialogues.

 Financing is one of the game changers of the Food System in Namibia: IFIs represented at the SDDS, included the African Development Bank (AfDB), the World Bank (WB), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). Dr. Charles Mr. Charles Sagoe-Moses, Representative of WHO Namibia and Chair of the Programme Management Team (PMT) presented the UNPAF providing the context under which the Dialogue for held, towards development finance cooperation.

In her Opening Remarks, Ms. Wilencia Uiras, Executive Director of the National Planning Commission (NPC), expressed that “the National Food Systems Summit Dialogues will play a vital role in the realization of the Vision 2030, emphasizing that at the core of this ideal is the promotion and safeguarding of people’s wellbeing, and improving the quality of lives of all Namibians... the SDDS will play a major role in informing policy directives and prescriptions that will eventually lead to the realization of Vision 2030 and the SDGs and encouraged all stakeholders to continue actively participating on such platforms.”

Mr. Sen Pang, UN Resident Coordinator (RC) at UN Namibia, in his Welcome Remarks noted that “the UN highly values the strengthening of strategic engagement of UN Country Teams (UNCTs) with International Financial Institutions (IFIs) and Development Partners. IFIs are a key stakeholder in the achievement of the SDGs, during this Decade of Action for the Goals, come 2030. Namibia as an upper-middle income country faces challenges mobilizing affordable development finance. As such, all efforts through various modalities of cooperation, including joint analysis, joint advocacy; capacity building; procurement & delivery of services; dialogues, while Leaving No One Behind-LNOB, are critical. There is need to further our support to the Government in absorbing the COVID-19 shock; as well as other ongoing shocks – especially as they impact food systems in Namibia, through joint response and recovery actions, while enhancing sustainable development and long-term resilience. UN Namibia is exploring options together with  IFIs, on how to unlock financial resources for more dynamic food systems in Namibia. ”

Mr. Neeraj Vij Division Manager, RDGS2, speaking on behalf of Mr. Kennedy Mbekeani, Deputy Director General at the African Development Bank Group, expressed that in alignment with the SDGs, AfDB is focused on 5 priority areas: Light Up and Power Africa, Feed Africa, Industrialize Africa, Integrate Africa, Improve the quality of life for the people of Africa with an end of accelerating Africa’s transformation Agenda. AfDB has a strong partner for Namibia in its growth and has 10 on-going operations with a total commitment of US USD 807 million, the average age of the portfolio is 3.2 years, including 6 debts instruments and 4 grant instruments. The bank is in regular discussion with government to strengthen its presence in the country and several additional initiatives which are to be implemented in the forthcoming years…The bank’s participation at the UNFSS is aimed at contributing at the dialogue and debates with other stakeholders to shape the agenda, taking stock of new challenges, taking into consideration the new approach, which is promoted by Food systems, better defining the Bank’s coalitions, the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Action, contributing to preparing and pitching innovative and game-changing solutions at the Pre-summit in Rome.

The Bank aims to materialize its participation with two -game changing solutions: 1) a multi-donor funded facility to provide catalytic financing for high bank agri-food SMEs, 2) a facility for financing food and nutrition security in Africa to scale food production technologies and extension advisory services, promote access to markets, development of wholesale markets, hard and soft market infrastructure, better logistics, food safety and agriculture research and development.

Mr. Bekele Debele, Program Leader, Infrastructure & Sustainable Development, speaking on behalf of Ms. Marie Francoise Marie-Nelly, Country Director, AECSI- at the World Bank, complemented that the Bank deploys several instruments in terms of supporting government and the private sector. Proper financing is required, to deliver high-performing, equitable food systems. There is an urgent need to curb $12 trillion hidden social, economic & environmental costs, there is a need to unlock $4.5 trillion in new business opportunities, recovery from Covid-19 through sustainable livelihoods, zero hunger, protected nature & climate resiliency. Although ending hunger by 2030 could cost approximately $160 billion per year for global impacts, including keeping global warming below 1.5° while protecting nature, could cost $300 to $400 billion annually, the costs of not acting are much more. There are eight imperatives to unlock $4.5 trillion for food finance architecture: 1) Redirect public subsidies, 2) integrate climate, health & social, 3) Institutional mechanisms, 4) Innovative financial instruments, 5) De-risk investments, 6) Finance for producers & SMEs, 7) Equitable employment, 8) Incentivize natural capital.

Key World Bank initiatives in Namibia include: 1)Analytical and advisory work focusing on sustainable and climate resilient Namibian food systems including production and value chains (e.g., NDC implementation support, livestock value chain); 2) Identifying & redesigning policy incentives combined with fiscal space for innovation and productivity gains that lower GHG emissions, cost of production & food prices; 3) Leveraging credit guarantee program for agriculture sector SMEs that encourage commercial banks and Fin-techs’ on-lending; 4)Potential for developing cluster-based spatial-focused programs that include intra-regional connectivity between growth poles.

Mr. Philipp Baumgartner, Country Director for Namibia at the International Fund for Agricultural         Development (IFAD), noted that IFAD is the only specialized UN agency focusing on agriculture development, investing in rural people. Financial modalities for Namibia include: 1)IFAD is accredited for market Borrowing through IFAD membership, Namibia could access market lending and exceptional rates. 2) IFAD is also an accredited institution with a green climate fund and an adaptation fund, aiding governments to access climate finance to drive climate transformative interventions. 3) IFAD is a co-finance player and leverages its position to get other financiers on board in order to strengthen the size of the intervention. This is in addition to Technical and Programmatic Work such as: Reimbursable Technical Assistance; Climate Finance; Regional Lending Operations; and Non-Sovereign Operations.

Ms. Margaret Kambinda, Deputy Executive Director, speaking on behalf of Mr. Percy W. Misika, Executive Director, Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform concluded the Dialogue, highlighting the principles onto which Namibia’s national food system is anchored, including strengthened cooperation and partnerships in information sharing, technology and skills transfer and in resource mobilization in terms funding and capacity building.

For additional information, please contact:

a.       Ms. Ericah Shafuda. Senior Advisor, Resource Mobilization, World Food Programme (WFP), UN Namibia (ericah.shafudah@wfp.org ).

b.       Ms. Lolita DeAlmeida. Junior Consultant, Food and Agricultural Organization of the UN (FAO), UN Namibia (Lolita.DeAlmeida@fao.org ).

c.       Ms. Eunice Ajambo. Economist & Development Coordination Officer. UN Resident Coordinators’ Office, UN Namibia (UNN) (ajambo@un.org).