The Government of Namibia kicked off the development of a monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) system for its National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process in an inception workshop held on May 13, 2022, in Windhoek. Representatives of the institutions involved in implementing adaptation measures gathered at the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) to discuss the aims and objectives of the MEL system, identify gaps and challenges in establishing the system, and assess existing MEL approaches and available data.
Namibia is among the driest countries in sub-Saharan Africa and is highly vulnerable to climate variabilities, such as persistent droughts and unpredictable rainfall patterns. According to the country’s recent Adaptation Communications to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Namibia is prioritizing adaptation projects in the following sectors: agriculture, fisheries, sustainable land management, government, climate information and research, ecosystems and biodiversity, forestry, and energy.
Namibia is making progress on adaptation, and the government is stepping up efforts on MEL to track this progress. For example, a survey of the inception workshop’s participants found that 85% of their institutions collect, analyze, and report information related to climate adaptation. However, most of the institutions lack dedicated monitoring and evaluation units and dedicated personnel, and there are no established processes for collecting and managing the information.
A key message from the event’s discussions was the importance of a coordinated approach to adaptation MEL that is aligned with and builds on the work of the MEFT, the National Statistics Agency, and the National Planning Commission. Paulus Ashili, Chief Conservation Scientist, MEFT, noted the importance of developing the framework of Namibia’s adaptation MEL system as a critical element of the NAP process and an input to the preparation of the county’s NAP document.
The national MEL consultant, Obert Mutumba, indicated that the leadership of the MEFT was a key factor that contributed to the workshop’s success. He also stated that NAP Global Network is supporting the government in developing its NAP document in a manner that considers MEL at the planning stages.
In moving forward, MEFT will hold a series of regional consultations that will help to increase an understanding of each region’s needs, gaps, and capacities, as well as the types of data and information collected that can inform the adaptation MEL system. The regional outreach will complement the national process by providing information based on the realities of each region and clarifying roles in a MEL system.
This inception workshop was supported by the NAP Global Network via its Country Support Hub, with funding from the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development. To learn more about our work on MEL in national adaptation, visit our theme page.
