Impact of climate change in Namibia: A case study of Omusati region.

Abstract

Climate change is said to be a threat to country’s development. This thesis investigates the impact of climate change in Namibia with a specific focus on the socio-economic impact of flooding in the North Central Regions of Namibia. The thesis examines the socio-economic conditions of the local people as a result of the 2009 flooding in Oshitutuma village. The thesis’s literature review had looked at climate change and flooding concept within Namibia, Southern Africa, Africa at large, and the Global contexts. The thesis relied on two techniques of data collection: interviews and document review (use of secondary data). The findings presented in the thesis suggest that the 2009 has caused major damages to the Oshitutuma village and had caused the government a great deal of money in attempting to help the villagers cope with the floods. People’s houses were destroyed, their agricultural crops were washed away, business buildings were destroyed and closed, schools were destroyed, disrupted and people were cut off from major services such as clinics. The last part of this thesis presents the conclusion drawn from the research findings as well as some recommendations to policy makers on the possible ways of dealing with the issue of climate change related floods. The impacts of climate change will increase the challenge of ongoing poverty alleviation efforts in Namibia. This demonstrates the immediate need for an acknowledgement and improved understanding of vulnerabilities so that appropriate adaptation measures can be implemented swiftly. The thesis findings further demonstrate that residents of Oshitutuma village in Namibia are already experiencing the effects of climate change. Therefore it is imperative that support for adaptation is provided immediately and that efforts to develop a strong cross-cutting national adaptation strategy are prioritized.