A Journey of Overcoming Food Insecurity in Namibe province in Southern Angola

Nkhondo is a small mountain community located in a remote area with difficult access in the Namibe province, in southern Angola. The inhabitants of this locality face many challenges: from the lack of electricity and mobile phone network coverage, to the lack of schools that accommodate all children, basic public services such as health posts, and, most notably, the drought, which causes additional constraints such as food insecurity.

Life in the mountains is not easy. To communicate with other communities via mobile phone, residents must travel to the road that connects to the municipality headquarters, where there is a phone signal. The most concerning issue, however, is the drought caused by the El Niño climate phenomenon. Crops have been negatively affected, and consequently, the families' economy suffers as they seek to buy additional products in the markets to complement their diet. The disproportionate price increase of food forces families to have less and less variety on the table. When there is food, the quantity is often insufficient. Life in Nkhondo requires a great deal of resistance and resilience.

"I’ve always been a farmer, I didn’t manage to study much, only until the 5th grade. When I think back to the dry season, things here in Nkhondo only got worse. We were forced to look for ways to alleviate hunger by doing odd jobs after the main road. Because here in the mountains, the only way to survive was by cutting trees to make charcoal. Otherwise, we had no way to feed ourselves because we couldn’t plant anything. The drought prevented us from cultivating," recalled Maria, a native of the Nkhondo community.

Amidst this challenging environment, the Resilience and Food and Nutrition Security Strengthening Program in Angola (FRESAN), through the project implemented by World Vision Angola – Okulonguesa, has been a catalyst for significant changes for 19,500 direct beneficiaries and another 590 intermediate beneficiaries, including children, youth, and adults.

The activities in the work plan have brought transformational development, using the rich diversity of the predominant Nyaneka Humbi (mumuíla) culture, which for centuries has been dedicated to livestock farming and subsistence agriculture in a region with a unique terrain, to enhance their practices and add value to the lives of the inhabitants. Through the inclusion of interventions in the water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) sector, community-level malnutrition management, and, in general, the improvement of diversity and food quality for vulnerable rural populations, particularly children.

Two years after the start of activities, Maria became one of the coordinators of the Field School implemented by the project and received training as a cook to help prepare school meals for the community’s students. She highlights that with Okulonguesa's presence in her community, the impact of the dry season is not as severe as it used to be, because thanks to the teachings she received from the agricultural technicians of the project, she is now able to plant drought-resistant crops and ensure a good harvest for her and her family, consisting of eleven members.

“I’m very happy! Now, in addition to growing my crops to feed my family, I also have my small job as a cook in the school kitchen. No one needs to sell charcoal to have food anymore; times have changed. Now we want to focus on developing our fields, growing larger crops, and ensuring a better future for everyone. We are extremely grateful for the project, which has brought transformation into our lives,” said Maria with enthusiasm.

 

The Okulonguesa project is funded by Camões - Institute for Cooperation and the Portuguese Language, I.P., under the FRESAN Program, and is implemented by World Vision Angola in partnership with ADESPOV.

FRESAN is an initiative of the Government of Angola, financed by the European Union, and co-managed by Camões, I.P. It aims to contribute to the reduction of hunger, poverty, and vulnerability to food and nutrition insecurity in Cunene, Huíla, and Namibe, primarily through strengthening resilience and sustainable family agricultural production, improving the nutritional situation of families, and supporting capacity development in institutions.