An Investigation Into Farmers’ Gendered Coping And Adaptation Strategies To Droughts In Olukonda Constituency, Oshikoto Region In Namibia

ABSTRACT

This thesis is a result of a study carried out to determine farmers ‘gendered modes of adaptation and coping strategies to droughts and how these modes of adaptation can lead to gender inequality in times of droughts in Olukonda constituency in Oshikoto region. The northern regions of Namibia experienced severe droughts in the 2012/2013, 2013/2014, 2014/2015, 2015/2016 seasons. In Oshikoto region where this research was undertaken, the impact of droughts on livelihoods was more pronounced on agriculture and food security with about 13,481 households becoming food-insecure after most of their crops were destroyed by drought (Oshikoto regional council, 2013). The study adopted a qualitative research design, in which interviews and focus group discussions were employed to collect data. The study revealed that droughts had devastating effects on the lives and livelihoods of the inhabitants of Olukonda constituency. The farmers in Olukonda constituency indicated that their main mode of adaptation to droughts is the drought relief food which is distributed by the government in times of drought. Notable in the study was that no human life was lost due to droughts but the farmers lost most of their livestock. This study sought to generate knowledge about a community where there are some knowledge gaps, and it tries to identify and explore the link between gendered adaptation to droughts and other important fields such as gender roles, gender equality in adaptation and gendered coping strategies to droughts. The study concluded that droughts have a diverse impact on the human basic needs of the inhabitants of Olukonda constituency. The study recommends a plan of action involving the Oshikoto regional council, the Government, the Disaster Risk Management Department and the affected community to find a lasting solution to droughts and to come up with gendered adaptation strategies that can benefit the people of Olukonda constituency.