Following the declaration of the Drought Emergency and in response to the request from Namibia Government, calling for concerted efforts and action towards addressing the drought situation; the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) conducted a needs assessment in Erongo, Kunene and Omusati Regions based on the FAO Phased Needs Assessment Framework. The main purpose of the assessment was to guide the formulation of broad-based FAO interventions aimed at addressing the impacts of El Niño on agriculture and food and nutrition security in the aforementioned worst affected regions, and Namibia at large. Based on expressed needs on the ground, the FAO broad-based interventions were grouped into short–term/immediate response (for which stock feeds were provided to communities affected by the drought in aforementioned regions), and the medium–long term interventions. As part of planning for the medium/long term interventions, and building, in part, on the Capacity for Reduction Initiative (CADRI) recommendations and the findings of the Needs Assessment; the FAO, through the Regional Emergency Office for Southern Africa (REOSA) and OFDA-funded Project on Resilience Building availed funding for capacity building related interventions, within the scope of Livestock-based Emergency Response.

In view of the aforesaid, a training workshop on Livestock Emergency Guidelines and Standards (LEGS) was organized in Otjiwarongo, Otjozondjupa Region, and took place on 20 to 22 February 2017. The workshop drew 38 (12 female & 26 male) participants from Ministry of Agriculture, Water and forestry, based in Erongo, Kunene, Omusati and the host Otjozondjupa Region. In addition to strengthening capacity, it was envisaged that the workshop would create the platform during which a Concept Note (CN) titled Livestock-based Emergency Response, which was initiated through collaborative efforts between MAWF and FAO Namibia, would be discussed, with contributions documented for future incorporation into the draft CN.