In pictures: Namibia's worst drought for 30 years
- Published
Namibia is a country largely consisting of desert but it is still badly affected by its worst drought in three decades. The UN children's agency, Unicef, says some 780,000 people - a third of the population - are at risk of malnutrition. This includes almost 110,000 children under the age of five.
Worst hit is the north-western Kunene region, where the nomadic Himba people are experiencing a second year without rainfall. This has led to serious shortages of grazing and water for the cattle they depend on. Unicef says it needs about $22m (£14m) to help those affected.
Mbete Tjiposa gets a monthly government pension of 500 Namibian dollars ($51), enough to buy 50kg of maize meal, sugar, salt, cooking oil and some "otjize" - a red powder that is mixed with cow fat to protect against the sun and moisturise the skin.
President Hifikepunye Pohamba declared a state of emergency in May. A Disaster Management Committee was set up to distribute food and water to those in need but the government has been criticised for not doing enough in its relief efforts - a claim it rejects.
"Water levels in the country’s main supply dams may reach critical levels if rains don’t come early in the coming season and in the rural areas the wells and low-lying pans have already dried up," says the BBC's Frauke Jensen in the capital, Windhoek.
"Communication is scant in the sparsely populated and inhospitable desert region, distances are huge and relief aid is only slowly finding its way to the people who most need it," our correspondents says.
Kamaa Tjiuju (21) says this is the worst drought that she can remember, and her family were forced to sell cattle and goats. She believes that more livestock will die soon. Her village registered for government food aid three months ago, but she says it has not received anything yet.
Almost 30% of the children in the region are already stunted because of severe malnutrition, according to Unicef. Aid workers say this figure will rise because of the drought.
Kariamakuju Kauta (55) and her grandson Kautumua. She says they used to grow pumpkins, maize and other vegetables but the drought has meant that no farming can be done in the area. They now only eat once a day to make the little food they have last.
The government has started handing out maize meal in some rural areas and the authorities are appealing for international support. Countries such as Russia and China have already heeded the call for aid.
The dry spell has destroyed grazing land and raised concerns about the country's spectacular wildlife, which attracts vital tourist income, while livestock deaths could threaten the local farming industry. (All pictures courtesy Unicef)