OCTOBER, 2019
ENERGY & SUSTAINABILITY News & Analysis
Can we Bypass the Drought?
IN THIS MONTH’S ISSUE: Can We Bypass Future Droughts Through Adaptation? Namibia’s Fish Population Still Stable Despite Climate Change RDJ Consulting hosts a Plastic Bag Usage Reduction Campaign
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C O N T E N T S
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FromTheEditor
Quick Facts
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Can We Bypass Future Droughts Through Adaptation?
Economy at Large
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Renewable Energy
Water
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The Environment and Sustainabilty
Telecommunications
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Roads and Transport
Financing
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Tenders and Careers
Contributing Authors
OCTOBER, 2019
From the editor Can we Bypass the Drought? Dear Reader, Now that the impact of the Drought is becoming more evident in the economy of, all thoughts are turned to finding out whether we can bypass the drought and have a sustainable future. The October Issue informs you on the damages caused by the drought, and also looks some mitigating strategies being put in place by both the Private and Public Sector to deal with the concern. In efforts to reduce the impact of plastic pollution on the environment, RDJ held a "Plastic Bag Usage Reduction Campaign" in September 2019 for awareness raising on the subject. All these, and more is covered inside.
RDJ Consulting Services CC is an advisory consultancy to the Energy, Water and Transport Sectors with a focus on sustainable operations and renewable energy.
PO Box 23738 Windhoek, NAMIBIA Telephone +264 61 400 171 EMAIL briefing@rdjconsulting.co.za WEBSITE www.rdjconsulting.co.za
Please therefore enjoy this edition, and feel free to reach out to us in anyway. Further, if you are new to the RDJ Briefing, subscribe to this FREE Publication at briefing@rdjconsulting.co.za and freely share the link with others that will benefit from its contents. Enjoy….
( David A. Jarrett) Editor
Authors RDJ Interns*
This report is a FREE Publication and was prepared by RDJ Consulting Services CC based in Windhoek, Namibia. The content is collected from publicly available information and so its accuracy cannot be guaranteed.
quick facts Population size: 2.3 Million Employment: 66.6% Literacy rate: 89.0% GDP Growth (2018): -0.1% Repo Rate: 6.50 % Interest rate (Prime): 10.25% Inflation (CPI): 3.30% Industries: Tourism, Mining, Fishing Telecom (sophistication): LTE Mobile - cell phones: 2.575 million Subscribers Water availability: 8 800 000 cubic litres/capita Electricity Gen. (Local): 484.000 MW Electricity Demand (all): 629.000 MW www.rdjconsulting.co.za
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Can We Bypass Future Droughts Through Adaptation?
Photo Showing Drought - affected Cattle Credit: RDJ Photo
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he current drought season seems to know no end. As a result, the destruction of Southern African farms and in particular, the Namibian way of life is under threat. Agriculture in Namibia is already under and in particular, the Namibian way of life is under threat. Agriculture in Namibia is already under threat from rural – urban migration trends and has a contribution of 3.9% to GDP currently.
Author: David Jarrett, Managing Consultant RDJ Consulting
The latest “Bulletin” by the Bank of Namibia outlined that there is increased marketing activity induced by the drought. Namibia thus has no choice but to do all in its powers to continue on its path of adaptation. The most insightful step was carried out by the writers of the Namibian Constitution in the fact that Namibia has enshrined the environment into its Constitution and clearly points out. According to Article 95 of the Namibian Constitution, the State actively shall do the following; "maintenance of ecosystems, essential ecological processes and biological diversity of Namibia and utilization of living natural resources on a sustainable basis for the benefit of all Namibians, both present and future" www.rdjconsulting.co.za
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Further support comes from the National Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (2013 – 2020) which has directed actions for adaptation such as water harvesting [A2(3)] and infrastructure planning [A4(1,e)].
The UNFCCC points out that there is no one size fits all approach but if the recent technological successes that have been commercialized can be ramped up and made “normal”, then desalination and renewable energy systems must be more engrained into our psych and everyday actions.
The 2015/2016 Household Income and Expenditure Survey (NHIES) Report OF NSA shows that Some 16 % or approximately 40 000 of Namibian households based in rural communities depend on isolated underground water resources that then require energy to pump to the surface and are under threat from either saline/salts and depletion due to minimal or nil recharge. Thus, the drying out of rivers and dams leaves us with no other option than to seek alternative sources and methods that maintain or improve our chances to meet our needs.
Notes and Readings: NSA - Namibia Statistics Agency The Namibian Constitution: Article 95 https://www.bon.com.na/CMSTemplates/Bon/Files/bon.com.na/03/03f628e36f52-49df-9c78-8166257f54f4.pdf Adaptation refers to adjustments in ecological, social, or economic systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli and their effects or impacts. It refers to changes in processes, practices, and structures to moderate potential damages or to benefit from opportunities associated with climate change. https://unfccc.int/topics/adaptation-and-resilience/the-big-picture/what-doadaptation-to-climate-change-and-climate-resilience-mean NSA Household Income and Expenditure Survey (NHIES) 2015/2016 Report https://unfccc.int/topics/adaptation-and-resilience/the-big-picture/what-doadaptation-to-climate-change-and-climate-resilience-mean
Photo Showing a farm Water tank Photo Credit: RDJ Consulting
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Highlights
"Plastic Bag Usage Reduction Campaign" - RDJ Consulting Read More about the Campaign on Page 22 & 23
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THANK YOU FOR HOSTING US Wernhil Mall - Broll Namibia
"Plastic Bag Usage Reduction Campaign" 28 September, 2019
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ECONOMY AT LARGE Namibia's Current Economic State and a way forward in Face of the Drought AUTHORS LEFT: Naemi Shoopala Economic Research Intern (2019) RIGHT: Misozi Mugala Economic Research Intern (2019) EDITOR Priscila Olga Chilombo Manager Operations All From: RDJ Consulting
Namibia’s Economic Performance
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amibia’s economic growth is progressing at a slow pace. The Bank of Namibia (BoN) reported a slowed down in economic activities in the second quarter of 2019 where it recorded a contraction of 2.6% from the previous 2.9% recorded in the first quarter of the same year. This decrease is caused by a reduced economic activities amongst major a host of major sectors in the economy. For example, deep contractions are recorded in the agricultural and mining sectors due to the drought, other factors include low commodity prices, as well as lower production of diamonds. The Bank of Namibia also attributed this to the moderation in global economic activities, especially weaker momentum observed in advanced economies like China. As a result, Namibia received its second consecutive downgrade in two years by Fitch, and this was when Namibia's creditworthiness
was revised downwards by a notch, from “BB+” to the “BB” speculative grade category. The annual inflation rate also declined to 3.3 percent from 4.8 percent from October 2018 to September 2019. For the period of January 2019 to September 2019, the average annual inflation rate was estimated at 4.1 percent, while average monthly was 0.3 percent. The main drivers of inflation rates in September 2019 were; Education at 12.0 percent, Food and non-alcoholic beverages at 4.4 percent, Recreation and culture at 4.0 percent, Alcoholic beverages and tobacco at 3.3 percent and Health at 3.2 percent. According to the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) from the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA), the latest inflation figure resulted from declines recorded in the commodities in the graph.
Figure: Author's representation of inflation measured by Namibia Consumer Price Index (NCPI) by differnt sectors of the economy. (NSA Data)
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The Drought Despite the decrease in other sectors, construction and fishing has improved. both sectors are largely influenced by domestic factors. There have been commendable efforts from both the government and private entities directed into making sure the country recover from the ongoing economic recession as well as assisting the areas and people affected by drought. Despite the fact that many people can survive this period due to assistance provided, this action has as well been putting pressure on the available resources, especially now that the state of emergency period has been extended due to worsening of the drought. The drought issue has lately been the talk of the country, and many hand have been extending to assist in alleviating the damage it could cause. Examples of actions activities and support towards alleviating the drought effect are elaborated below.
Use of Climate-Smart Agriculture The HSF organised a conference on the 2nd of October 2019 which deliberated on the current state of agriculture in Namibia. During the conference, the Minister of Agriculture indicated during his speech that Climatesmart agriculture can improve food security in Namibia. He encouraged a shift from traditional farming practices to a climate-smart approach, which would not only help protect farmers from the adverse effects of climate change and offer a way to reduce green-house-gas emissions, but would also improve farm yields and household incomes, leading to stronger, more resilient communities.
Tractors and Tractor Rippers to Assist in Reducing Food Insecurity In September 2019, the Environmental Investment Fund (EIF) invited the public to submit proposals for the supply and delivery of eighteen tractors and eighteen tractor rippers needed at the Kavango West, East and Zambezi areas, regarded as the “vulnerable extreme northern crop-growing regions” by the Green Climate Fund. When successfully implemented, the project will boost the communities’ resilience while reducing the food insecurity of the subsistence farmers. Photos Credit: RDJ Consulting
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Financial Support to Farmers The government has spent N$570 million to help distressed farmers and communities hit by the drought, and of this N$138 million is for the livestock support programme. They also spent N$37.5 million on the provision of water tankers to remote areas and for the installation and rehabilitation of water points/boreholes. Another total of 62 038 bales of animal feed weighing 20 kilogrammes was distributed to all regions of the country which, supplying to a maximum of 250 farmers per region (or 3 500 farmers) countrywide.
Conclusion Despite all threats posed by the drought, and the recent slowdown in economic activities, Namibia’s Minister Finance is optimistic despite the Fitch downgrade. He says the government has taken note of Fitch Ratings' action, and the areas of improvement raised.
As such, the government reiterates its commitment to growth-friendly fiscal consolidation and the package of structural policy reforms to support domestic economic activities and improve business confidence. The minister says interventions from the public and private sectors can strengthen prospects for economic growth.Â
Readings: https://www.bon.com.na/getattachment/03f628e3-6f52-49df-9c788166257f54f4/.aspx https://www.namibian.com.na/83482/read/Schlettwein-upbeat-onpublic-private-sector-bonding https://neweralive.na/posts/annual-inflation-rate-slows-down-to33 https://www.namibiansun.com/news/climate-smart-agriculture-toensure-food-security2019-10-03 https://neweralive.na/posts/the-urgency-of-climate-resilientsmart-agriculture-crsa https://www.namibian.com.na/83989/read/Govt-rolls-outambitious-hydroponics-project https://www.namibian.com.na/83873/read/Schlettwein-optimisticdespite-Fitch-downgrade
Photo Showing a farm in Namibia Photo Credit: RDJ Consulting
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African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) – An Investment Opportunity for Namibia
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he soon to establish Africa Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA) will work in favour of Namibia as it is considered the logistics entry into Africa through its Walvis Bay harbour, and the agreement is also expected to open up transport and logistics opportunities for Namibia, boosting Namibia’s economy and trade relations even more. The ACFTA will be fully operational in June 2020 and is expected to be one of the largest free trade areas since the inception of the World Trade Organization, with an influx of 2.5 billion of Africa’s population by 2050. Additionally, the ACFTA will attract many entrepreneurial opportunities and enhance Intra-Trading on the African continent, this will however be dependent on the transport network in Africa.
Lead organizations within the logistics sector in Namibia are optimistic about the new investment opportunities. The Namibia Airports company’s (NAC) board Chairperson, noted that the Hosea Kutako Airport which is currently being upgraded will be the major contributor to the in and out movement of goods in Namibia. The Walvis Bay Corridor Group’s acting Chief Executive Officer, also indicated the necessity of ports in developing countries, as well as the need to constantly improve port infrastructure.
Readings: https://www.namibian.com.na/83527/read/Namibian-transportsector-and-the-African-trade-area https://au.int/en/cfta https://www.giz.de/en/worldwide/59611.html
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OIL & GAS Fuel Consumption Continues To Rise
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n line with annual inflation and the increasing need for roads maintenance as well as finance for road construction, the Road Fund Administration increased the fuel levy from N$ 0.06 per litre in to N$ 1.36 per litre. The prices for petrol and diesel 50ppm rose from N$11.90 and N$12.8 during the second quarter of 2018, to N$12.95 and N$13.53 per litre during the second quarter of 2019, respectively. Another reason for the rise in prices in Namibia can be predicted to be the rise in international oil prices. Even if the fuel prices for the month of October 2019
October Fuel Prices
remain unchanged (N$13.05 per litre for petrol, and diesel at N$13.63 per litre respectively), the use of fuel in Namibia has increased throughout the year of 2019. According to Bank of Namibia reports, the increase started around the second quarter of 2019. In as much as the petrol consumption declined by 4.2%, the consumption of diesel increased by 2.8%. The high diesel demand arose due to the need of powering plants in the generation of electricity. Overall, the total fuel consumption increased by 0.2%, which is 289.6 million litres.
The Ministry Of Mines Of Energy announced that the October Fuel Prices remained unchanged. Therefore, the prices are as follows: 95 Octane Unleaded Petrol: N$ 13.05 per litre Diesel 50ppm: N$ 13.65 per litre
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RENEWABLE ENERGY
Photo Showing a Solar Plant in Namibia Credit: RDJ Photo
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Trekkopje Solar Plant Inaugurated
amibia is looking into Solar Energy options as a means of providing energy to reduce its dependency on imported electricity, which currently stands at 60%. Both private and public entities are partaking into the future development of Namibia’s growth and some have formed private-public partnerships to produce electricity for national utilisation, which is a clear indication of dedication and support towards harnessing renewable energy and grooming the national energy sector. On the 3rd of October 2019, the vice president Nangolo Mbumba inaugurated the N$120 million 5MW TrekKopje Solar plant at Orano’s TrekKopje mine.
The plant is located about 50 Kilometres from Swakopmund within the TrekKopje mining area. This is also close to the substation directly feeding the mine and and Orano’s desalination plant near Wlotzkasbaken. The project has an estimated development capacity of 27MW, of which 5MW is now commissioned. Currently, the plant is owned by a Namibian registered independent power producer, Sertum Energy Namibia, which is a partnership between young Namibian businessman Elton Katangolo and Italian-listed Company Enertronica SpA that specialises in the development and construction of solar plants around the world. Sertum Energy signed a 25-year power purchase agreement with NamPower as part of the feed-in-tariff programme.
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OCTOBER, 2019
WATER Windhoek Water Tariffs Corrected
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he City of Windhoek increased the tariffs charged on water by 5 percent in July 2019, after an official announcement by the Municipality early in June 2019. This increment was required by a 5 percent increase in bulk water tariffs by the Namibia Water Corporation (NamWater) from which the municipality draws most of its water. Generally, the tariff increase is said to be calculated based on a number of factors, including: the cost of the bulk purchase increases inflation on goods and services current economic conditions fuel price increases outstanding debts, and additional water treatment costs However, the formula issued to calculate the approved 5 percent was done incorrectly, and this resulted to an additional 15 percent processed. This means that the tariffs incurred a 20 percent increase and not the anticipated 5 percent. After numerous complaints on excessive water bills faced by residents, the error was noticed, corrected and then approved on 26 September 2019 at the Council’s meeting. In addition, charges of N$47.41 per kilolitre for businesses, N$ 35 per kilolitre for residents and N$ 28.41 for communal water points, will now be considered, while entities operating under the economic processing zones (EPZ) will be charged N$28.7 per kilolitre. To accomplish their objective of saving up to 15% of normal water consumption during the 2019 financial year, the Municipality has introduced a host of water-savings initiatives which was effective on 30 September 2019.
Previsions Dictate Drought Remain Persistent in Namibia
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he globe is experiencing anomalous effects from climate change and Namibia is not excluded from these unprecedented effects. Namibia is a semi-arid country and experiences extreme weather patterns such as heavy floods and extensive drought. The rainfall pattern has been inconstant and for this year, Namibia received late and poor rainfall which has caused a great deal of water scarcity and food insecurity for both people and animals. Namibia has been ranked 84/117 countries in the 2019 Global Hunger Index (GHI) report which is a downgrade compared to 2018’s ranking that stood at 80/119 . Earlier in May, the President of Namibia declared the drought a state of emergency which was predicted to become obsolete by October 2019, given that rainfall season begins then. However, on the 2nd of October 2019, the Prime Minister announced the expansion of the state of emergency for another six months as the climatic conditions remain uncertain. Namibia’s drought-prone status quo is expected to continue for a long time thus, the Namibian government and its internal and external partners have over the years committed astronomical amounts of money to improve the livelihoods of most Namibians, especially those that depend on agricultural activities and are threatened by lack of foodstuffs. With this money, a drought relief programme was set in motion and provides the affected parties with food such as corn meal, rice, tinned pilchards and water to those in need, particularly in the rural areas where the drought has struck the most. The constant droughts have placed an overwhelming burden on the country’s resources, and indirectly hinders the government’s adherence to meet other needs of the nation such as the provision of road infrastructure, basic sanitation and housing among other competing and statutory needs. The government’s effort is notable and praiseworthy, but it is needed to come up with innovative ideas to assist in mitigating the matter. Desalination for instance, could be the next water provision alternative for drought relief instead of dependence on the uncertain rainfall patterns.
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The Drought Impact in the Northern Regions AUTHORS LEFT: Naemi Shoopala Economic Research Intern (2019) RIGHT: Kina Indongo Marketing & Communications Intern (2019) EDITOR Priscila Olga Chilombo Manager Operations All From: RDJ Consulting
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he Omusati region in Northern Namibia faces an ongoing struggle with water scarcity as drought persists, and water delivery systems fail.
Namibia is classified as a semi-arid country with rainfall patterns categorized as below average and sporadic, leading to the country being predisposed to drought. Many regions in the country have been affected by the recent drought, and this includes the Omusati region in northern Namibia. The Omusati region has a long-standing struggle with access to clean drinking water. The German-Namibian research and development pilot project entitled CuveWaters which bagan in 2006 and ended in ended in December 2015, identified the region as one in risk of severe water scarcity. As a way of mitigating the crisis, two desalination plants in Amerika and Akutsima settlements were built in the region through this project, at a cost of N$ 200 million to assist in the provision of fresh water to the surrounding communities during the duration of the study. The Plants were handed over to the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry in November 2010. After a few years of desalinated water supply, the German funded desalination plant in Amarika failed due to breakdown of the pumps in 2013, and needed specialised repairs that is yet to be provided. The breakdown of the pump at Amarika was attributed to a growing population in the region which tripled since the time of the installation of the pumps at the plants. The increase in population, increased demand of water from the plants. The plants however could not produce water beyond its maximum capacity of 3.3 cubic metres daily, hence pumps failed.
About 22% of the country (Namibia) is classified as hyperarid, 70% as arid, and less than 8% as dry sub-humid. (Mendelsohn, Jarvis, Roberts, & Robertson, 2002).
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The desalination plant at Akutsima which has a manual and an electrically operated boreholes also showed complications in 2013. The manually operated borehole was fine despite the on and off operation, while the electric one has stopped functioning since its breakdown in 2013. The plant’s operating system is sophisticated, and can only be fixed by technicians from Germany. Hence, the community could only deal with the service parts and other hardware maintenance since then.  The years following the breakdown of the pumps saw the region plunge deeper into water crisis. In 2016 the acting chirperson of the Omusati regional council at the time, reported that the impact of the drought was then being felt among the community.
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Due to insufficient rainfall experienced in 2019, the underground water at Amarika could not be replenished, and it was at the same time not suitable for human consumption due to its extremely saline state. Therefore, attempts to drill more boreholes could prove futile, as the water is described to be very salty. Readings: http://www.cuvewaters.net/Home.5.0.html https://www.namibiansun.com/news/no-fresh-water-for-amarika https://www.namibian.com.na/191970/archive-read/Living-oncontaminated-water
Photo Showing the Amarika Desalination Plant in Omusati. Photo Credit: RDJ Consulting
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THE ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY
Photo Showing a typical river where fishermen spend most of their time. Credit: RDJ Photo
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Namibia’s Fish Population Still Stable Despite Climate Change
he Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources Bernhardt Esau reported that the current fish populations are still stable and unaffected by environmental changes, assuring the nation that “there is still enough fish in the sea.” These remarks were made following media interest on whether the long queues at fish outlets were a result of depleted fish stocks. The Namibia Fish Consumption Promotion Trust (NFCTP), distributed 7 116 metric tons of frozen fish products during the 2018/19 financial year, following entity mandated by cabinet to distribute fish in the country. The spike in media interest towards the queues at fish outlets is reported to be caused by a mandate to live up fish sales, therefore NFCTP has been conducting fish promotions across the country.
During these promotions, the public engaged and educated the public on the health benefits of consuming fish and to prepare various cuisines. The frozen products were sold through 17 fish outlets and regional fish promotions in 13 regions. To enhance fish distribution to the community, the trust will open another shop in Otjozondjupa Region before the end of 2019. During the just ended financial year the trust also opened a fish shop in Omuthiya to strengthen its distribution activities. NFCPT is mandated to promote fish consumption in Namibia by making fish more accessible and affordable. Furthermore, the trust is further tasked to educate the public on how to prepare and cook fish and in so doing attain the most nutritional value therein.
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OCTOBER, 2019
RDJ Consulting hosts a Plastic Bag Usage Reduction Campaign
lastics are synthetic compounds, organic polymers (very large molecules) which are mainly derived from petrochemicals and produced or designed for one-off use then discarded. They are very useful and needed on a daily basis for different purposes, such as packaging and carrying goods. Despite its good use, the process in which plastic break down is very lengthy, therefore raising environmental impact concerns. Namibia has taken steps to alleviating the damage in various ways, such as the construction of a plastic recycling plant in Okahandja. Knowing that recycling alone cannot achieve the goal of reducing the impact of plastic pollution on the environment, the Government of Namibia has taken other measures to deal with the matter. In August 2019, the government released a gazette, number 6967 which stared plastic materials like carry bags (including cones) and refuse bags to carry a N$0.50 environmental levy fee.
This levy is an effort to reduce plastic footprints and promote a responsible use of plastics. It also aims to reduce plastic production and consumption so that plastic pollution is cut out at source. As a team that is concerned about the continuous usage of plastic and the harmful effects it has on the environmental, RDJ Consulting held a Plastic Bag Usage Reduction Campaign on the 28th of September 2019 at the Wernhil mall in Windhoek under their Banner of Sustainability. The campaign aimed at creating awareness on the effect of waste and plastic pollution on the environment, and encourage the use of Reusable Bags for shopping to decrease the great use of plastic bags. During the campaign, 550 reuse bags were FREELY distributed to patrons of the mall, and a total of 278 plastic bags were collected for individuals found with plastic in that morning. The table below shows the number of plastics and stores from which the plastics collected originally belongs to.
Photo Showing a "Plastic Bag Usage Reduction Campaign" data from RDJ Consulting Services CC. www.rdjconsulting.co.za
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After the campaign, it was concluded that:
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About RDJ
The patrons of the mall hardly knew about the dangers that plastic bag pose to the environment. the communities did not know about proper ways of disposing plastic Majority of residents in Windhoek do not know about waste management, nor do they know the entities involved in doing so. The campaign was productive, as men, women, children all participated in the discussion of the subject matter, and could gain basic knowledge on it. Additionally, Patrons of the mall used less plastics when shopping on that day since they were give free-reusable bags for their shopping after participating and learning for the team responsible for the campaign. Overall, there is a lot to be done in terms of educating the Public on the impacts of plastic, as well as proper disposal techniques to assist the entities responsible for the management of waste in communities.
Officially called RDJ Consulting Services CC, RDJ is a Namibia-based boutique which consults on Energy and Sustainability related projects. Â RDJ offers a wide range of consulting services with the necessary tools and expertise to help grow businesses. Their main focus is providing advisory services to clients on the areas of Energy and Sustainability, while at the same time also running a grown internship Program under the banner of Training, to assist student and graduate obtain professional experience of the market. Â Their experience in Africa, the Caribbean, Asia and Europe allows us to be broad in our thinking. The consultancy partners with clients from start to finish, focusing on their needs while producing new ideas, developing effective strategies and designing high quality and modular solutions. Â For more information on the company, visit their website at www.rdjconsulting.co.za
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Photo Credit: RDJ Consulting
Namibia Encourages Investment in Biodiversity
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ccording to Environment Minister Pohamba Shifeta it is estimated that approximately N$13 billion of Namibian annual revenue comes from biodiversity. Greenfacts.org defines biodiversity as “the variability among living organisms from all sources, including terrestrial, marine, and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species, and of ecosystems. It is the foundation of ecosystem services to which human well-being is intimately linked”. Other than informing about the several challenges and threats facing the country, which include climate change, land degradation, bush encroachment, declining yields and carrying capacities, the Minister also advised for the increase of investment into biodiversity for the preservation of the current and future generation. With 70% of the population directly depending on the ecosystem for their livelihood, the Namibian economy greatly depends on its natural resources which are linked to the mining, fisheries, agriculture and tourism sectors. But, with the unpredictable climatic patterns, the economic dependency on natural resources may need to be reviewed.
Conserving Namibia’s Wildlife
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ith 26 parks and reserves, Namibia has a proud conservation record which is recognised internationally, making its abundant wildlife one of its greatest tourist assets. These parks and reserves range from the open bush of the central areas and the north where wildlife is relatively plentiful, to the barren and inhospitable coastal strip with its huge sand dunes. The three main tourist attractions for wildlife in Namibia are Etosha National Park, Waterberg Plateau National Park and Cape Cross Reserve. The Namibian desert is well known for its large number of endemic dune dwellers, especially lizards, of which there are 30 endemic Species. Namibia is also home to many bird species. Namibia holds the largest population of cheetah in Southern Africa. There are eight mammal species endemics to Namibia, including the black-faced impala, several mice, gerbils and bats. We find over 20 pieces of antelopes, gemsbok, mammals which include mongoose, jackal, ant bear, honey badger which are not often seen as they are solitary and nocturnal. Endangered species include the wild dog, black rhino, oribi and puku. The black and white rhino have suffered the most from poaching and are on the verge of extinct.
Readings: https://www.greenfacts.org/en/biodiversity/l-3/1-definebiodiversity.htm https://www.namibiansun.com/news/biodiversity-generates-n13billion2019-10-1
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TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Image Source: https://www.facebook.com/paratusafrica
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Nimbus Renamed To Paratus Namibia Holdings Limited
ccording to Namibia Stock Exchange (NSX), Shareholders of ICT Infrastructure Company – Nimbus at its annual general meeting have welcomed its renaming to Paratus Namibia Holdings Limited. Part of the resolutions made at the meeting was the selection of PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC) as the company's external auditors.
This is seen as a share swap approved by shareholders which will see Nimbus becoming the sole shareholder of Paratus Telecommunications after it acquired the remaining shares of Paratus Telecommunications (Pty) Limited with other shareholders such as the Capricorn Investment Group, Standard Bank Nominees (Pty) Ltd, CBN Nominees (Pty) Ltd and First National Bank Nominees (Namibia) (Pty)Ltd.
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ROADS AND TRANSPORT
NAMPOL Enforces Rigorous Road Safety Measures
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nspector General of the Namibian police force (NAMPOL), revealed in a press statement that there has been an increase in volumes of road accidents experienced recently on the Namibian roads. One of them was the three separate road accidents that took the lives of 23 people during the weekend of the 13 to 16 September 2019. For this reason, all regional commanders were given strict orders to implement tough road safety measure and traffic laws. This enforcement will be done by way of traffic officer’s visibility on highway road patrols, roadblocks, and public education and crime prevention operations. The Inspector General further warned against contravention of traffic laws and notes that those found operating vehicles that are not road worthy, overloading and speeding will be dealt with.
Readings: https://www.namibian.com.na/83527/read/Namibian-transportsector-and-the-African-trade-area https://au.int/en/cfta
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FINANCING
Educational Funds Raised Omuthiya Fish Gala Dinner
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he Namibia Fish Consumption Promotion Trust (NFCPT) on the 11th October raised N$1.2 million in cash from pledges and in kind at a gala dinner held in Omuthiya. The funds are to be donated towards education system in the Oshikoto Region. This marked the highest amount ever generated since the event’s inception seven years ago. Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources of the NFCPT participates in other areas of development through paying fishing levies, quota fees and taxes, which are in turn distributed through the national budget to all regions in the country to build roads, schools and other developments. The minister further added that if at least five percent of the Fish Trade target could happen in Oshikoto Region, it would yield about N$25 million of new business, and the profit margins realised by small and medium scale traders could greatly help to address current poverty and inequality issues of the region. “Local fish trade is
therefore a realistic means of addressing livelihoods and food security of people in Oshikoto Region”, he added. NFCPT board chairperson reported that the company has extended its distribution points with 17 shops across the country and operating in 13 regions. She also revealed that a new fish shop is envisaged in Otjiwarongo. Currently, NFCPT constructed a fish shop which is near completion in Omuthiya at the value of N$7 million.
Namibia Benefits From Dryland Programme
N
GEF's
amibia is set to benefit from the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) - Funded programme on dryland landscapes. The main objectives of this programme are to reverse degradation and support the sustainable use of natural resources in the MopaneMiombo belt of northern Namibia. The project is valued at a cost of US$6.9 million (N$100 million). The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) will pilot the programme together with the Ministries of Environment and of Agriculture in the implementation of the project that will run for five years.
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Tender Name/Description: Truck operator Location: M&E engineering, B2, Windhoek Closing Date: 11 November 2019 Tender Name/Description: Manager: property development Closing Date: 11 November 2019 Tender Name/Description: Regional Engineer: Infrastructure (North and Central) Closing Date: 11 November 2019 Tender Name/Description: Senior engineer: Research & development (Civil) Closing Date: 11 November 2019 Tender Name/Description: Senior engineer: Locomotive Tender Name/Description: Regional Engineer: Infrastructure (North and Central) Closing Date: 11 November 2019 Tender Name/Description: Chief Industrial Relations Officer Closing Date: 11 November 2019
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David Jarrett (Managing Consultant) RDJ Consulting Services CC Priscila Chilombo Olga (Economist) RDJ Consulting Services CC Naemi Shoopala (Research Intern) RDJ Consulting Services CC Misozi Mugala (Research Intern) RDJ Consulting Services CC Kina Indongo (Marketing & Communication Intern) RDJ Consulting Services CC Selma Taapopi (Marketing & Communication Intern) RDJ Consulting Services CC
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