FAO representative in Namibia, Dr Qingyun Diao watering a tree that was planted. PHOTO FAO
FAO representative in Namibia, Dr Qingyun Diao watering a tree that was planted. PHOTO FAO

FAO's green initiative boosts food security in Eenhana

Urban gardening for community health
The FAO, through the Green Cities Initiative, has donated essential nursery and greenhouse materials, including gardening tools and hundreds of fruit tree and forestry seedlings, among other items.
Ellanie Smit
The Green Cities Initiative is key to addressing food insecurity challenges and promoting healthy eating habits in urban settings like Eenhana.

Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) representative in Namibia Dr Qingyun Diao said this at the Green Cities Initiative nursery handover and tree planting held event in Eenhana recently.

Diao said the nursery, gardening and plant items the FAO donated, including essential nursery and greenhouse material, gardening tools, horticulture seeds, 900 fruit tree seedlings, 490 forestry seedlings and solar-powered pumps, are valued at N$633 134.

“This nursery will provide tree seedlings, fruit plants and vegetables, bringing multiple benefits to the town of Eenhana.”

She said not only will it enhance green spaces, but it will also help combat air pollution, provide shade and improve the overall environment, contributing to community well-being.

Diao said the FAO is promoting better nutrition by increasing access to locally produced nutritious food through the initiative.



Well-being of urban residents

She described the initiative at transformative, ensuring that Eenhana residents can enjoy the benefits of greener surroundings, better nutrition and improved livelihoods.

The Green Cities Initiative was launched by the FAO in 2020 as an effort to improve the livelihoods and well-being of urban and peri-urban populations.

The initiative focuses on creating greener, healthier and more sustainable urban spaces through nature-based solutions, urban agriculture and better natural resource management.

“With rapid urbanisation, cities worldwide face challenges like food insecurity and environmental degradation.”

The Green Cities Initiative helps cities adopt sustainable practices that benefit both people and the environment.

“Here in Eenhana, the nursery that FAO is handing over today is a big step in creating a greener, more resilient town and will directly contribute to improving food security, nutrition and sustainable livelihoods in the community," Diao said.

“Through the Green Cities Initiative, FAO is committed to promoting a better environment through sustainable practices like urban gardening and agroforestry.”



Urban gardening

The activities are aimed at expanding green spaces in Eenhana and reducing the town’s vulnerability to climate change while improving local biodiversity and creating a more resilient urban ecosystem.

Among the milestones achieved by the Green Cities Initiative is that 31 community members have been trained in urban gardening techniques, equipping them with the skills needed to cultivate a variety of fruits and vegetables.

“This training is crucial for ensuring the long-term success of the nursery and for empowering the community to grow its own food," Diao noted.

In addition, FAO has provided the necessary technical support and resources, such as water-efficient irrigation systems, to ensure the nursery’s sustainability.

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Premier League: Chelsea 1 vs 1 Arsenal | Tottenham Hotspur 1 vs 2 Ipswich Town | Nottingham Forest 1 vs 3 Newcastle | Manchester United 3 vs 0 Leicester City Katima Mulilo: 20° | 27° Rundu: 20° | 33° Eenhana: 21° | 35° Oshakati: 23° | 35° Ruacana: 23° | 35° Tsumeb: 22° | 32° Otjiwarongo: 19° | 30° Omaruru: 20° | 35° Windhoek: 18° | 33° Gobabis: 20° | 32° Henties Bay: 14° | 22° Wind speed: 19km/h, Wind direction: S, Low tide: 07:06, High tide: 13:31, Low Tide: 19:42, High tide: 02:00 Swakopmund: 14° | 16° Wind speed: 19km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 07:04, High tide: 13:29, Low Tide: 19:40, High tide: 02:00 Walvis Bay: 14° | 22° Wind speed: 23km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 07:04, High tide: 13:28, Low Tide: 19:40, High tide: 02:00 Rehoboth: 18° | 33° Mariental: 19° | 35° Keetmanshoop: 20° | 36° Aranos: 19° | 35° Lüderitz: 18° | 36° Ariamsvlei: 18° | 35° Oranjemund: 14° | 31° Luanda: 25° | 26° Gaborone: 20° | 29° Lubumbashi: 18° | 33° Mbabane: 12° | 17° Maseru: 13° | 25° Antananarivo: 17° | 33° Lilongwe: 22° | 30° Maputo: 19° | 26° Windhoek: 18° | 33° Cape Town: 14° | 23° Durban: 17° | 19° Johannesburg: 15° | 25° Dar es Salaam: 26° | 32° Lusaka: 18° | 28° Harare: 16° | 23° Currency: GBP to NAD 23.13 | EUR to NAD 19.25 | CNY to NAD 2.52 | USD to NAD 18.23 | DZD to NAD 0.14 | AOA to NAD 0.02 | BWP to NAD 1.29 | EGP to NAD 0.36 | KES to NAD 0.14 | NGN to NAD 0.01 | ZMW to NAD 0.65 | ZWL to NAD 0.04 | BRL to NAD 3.13 | RUB to NAD 0.18 | INR to NAD 0.22 | USD to DZD 133.34 | USD to AOA 910.98 | USD to BWP 13.62 | USD to EGP 49.29 | USD to KES 129.2 | USD to NGN 1687.57 | USD to ZAR 18.23 | USD to ZMW 27.35 | USD to ZWL 321 | Stock Exchange: JSE All Share Index Same 0 | Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) Overall Index 1851.79 Down -1.41% | Casablanca Stock Exchange (CSE) MASI 14650.02 Down -0.28% | Egyptian Exchange (EGX) 30 Index 31582.39 Down -0.12% | Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) DCI 9879.51 Same 0 | NSX: MTC 7.75 SAME | Anirep 8.99 SAME | Capricorn Investment group 17.34 SAME | FirstRand Namibia Ltd 49 DOWN 0.50% | Letshego Holdings (Namibia) Ltd 4.1 UP 2.50% | Namibia Asset Management Ltd 0.7 SAME | Namibia Breweries Ltd 31.49 UP 0.03% | Nictus Holdings - Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 582.29/OZ DOWN -0.0064 | Copper US$ 4.07/lb DOWN -0.015 | Zinc US$ 2 984.00/T DOWN -0.1% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 72.62/BBP UP +0.87% | Platinum US$ 936.61/OZ DOWN -0.0078 Sport results: Premier League: Chelsea 1 vs 1 Arsenal | Tottenham Hotspur 1 vs 2 Ipswich Town | Nottingham Forest 1 vs 3 Newcastle | Manchester United 3 vs 0 Leicester City Weather: Katima Mulilo: 20° | 27° Rundu: 20° | 33° Eenhana: 21° | 35° Oshakati: 23° | 35° Ruacana: 23° | 35° Tsumeb: 22° | 32° Otjiwarongo: 19° | 30° Omaruru: 20° | 35° Windhoek: 18° | 33° Gobabis: 20° | 32° Henties Bay: 14° | 22° Wind speed: 19km/h, Wind direction: S, Low tide: 07:06, High tide: 13:31, Low Tide: 19:42, High tide: 02:00 Swakopmund: 14° | 16° Wind speed: 19km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 07:04, High tide: 13:29, Low Tide: 19:40, High tide: 02:00 Walvis Bay: 14° | 22° Wind speed: 23km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 07:04, High tide: 13:28, Low Tide: 19:40, High tide: 02:00 Rehoboth: 18° | 33° Mariental: 19° | 35° Keetmanshoop: 20° | 36° Aranos: 19° | 35° Lüderitz: 18° | 36° Ariamsvlei: 18° | 35° Oranjemund: 14° | 31° Luanda: 25° | 26° Gaborone: 20° | 29° Lubumbashi: 18° | 33° Mbabane: 12° | 17° Maseru: 13° | 25° Antananarivo: 17° | 33° Lilongwe: 22° | 30° Maputo: 19° | 26° Windhoek: 18° | 33° Cape Town: 14° | 23° Durban: 17° | 19° Johannesburg: 15° | 25° Dar es Salaam: 26° | 32° Lusaka: 18° | 28° Harare: 16° | 23° Economic Indicators: Currency: GBP to NAD 23.13 | EUR to NAD 19.25 | CNY to NAD 2.52 | USD to NAD 18.23 | DZD to NAD 0.14 | AOA to NAD 0.02 | BWP to NAD 1.29 | EGP to NAD 0.36 | KES to NAD 0.14 | NGN to NAD 0.01 | ZMW to NAD 0.65 | ZWL to NAD 0.04 | BRL to NAD 3.13 | RUB to NAD 0.18 | INR to NAD 0.22 | USD to DZD 133.34 | USD to AOA 910.98 | USD to BWP 13.62 | USD to EGP 49.29 | USD to KES 129.2 | USD to NGN 1687.57 | USD to ZAR 18.23 | USD to ZMW 27.35 | USD to ZWL 321 | Stock Exchange: JSE All Share Index Same 0 | Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) Overall Index 1851.79 Down -1.41% | Casablanca Stock Exchange (CSE) MASI 14650.02 Down -0.28% | Egyptian Exchange (EGX) 30 Index 31582.39 Down -0.12% | Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) DCI 9879.51 Same 0 | NSX: MTC 7.75 SAME | Anirep 8.99 SAME | Capricorn Investment group 17.34 SAME | FirstRand Namibia Ltd 49 DOWN 0.50% | Letshego Holdings (Namibia) Ltd 4.1 UP 2.50% | Namibia Asset Management Ltd 0.7 SAME | Namibia Breweries Ltd 31.49 UP 0.03% | Nictus Holdings - Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 582.29/OZ DOWN -0.0064 | Copper US$ 4.07/lb DOWN -0.015 | Zinc US$ 2 984.00/T DOWN -0.1% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 72.62/BBP UP +0.87% | Platinum US$ 936.61/OZ DOWN -0.0078