The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform has allocated N$215,895,000 for decentralised rural water supply and sanitation in the 2026/27 financial year, including the drilling of 27 boreholes, installation of 33 boreholes, construction of 18 earth dams and rehabilitation of water infrastructure on resettlement farms. Nine traditional wells will also be modernised under the same programme.
Deputy Minister Ruthy Masake presented the budget motivation statement to the National Assembly earlier in April, motivating a total allocation of N$1,027,00
0,000 for Vote 38: Water and Marine Resources.
During the 2025/26 financial year, the Ministry drilled 94 boreholes, installed 137 boreholes and rehabilitated 51 boreholes across the country. It also constructed 55 water supply pipelines and connected 2,886 private offtake points. Three rural water supply schemes were commissioned: Ozondati-Omatjete in Erongo, Onamatanga in Omusati and Ohamaremba-Okangwati in Kunene.
Deputy Minister Masake stated that Namibia is one of the driest countries in sub-Saharan Africa and that rapid urbanisation, expanding agriculture and the impacts of climate change are placing increasing pressure on the country's water resources.
The Ministry is finalising a Water Pricing Policy described in the budget statement as aimed at promoting affordable and sustainable water service delivery.
Groundwater assessments will be conducted under the Integrated Water Resources Management programme, allocated N$78,722,000, alongside the modernisation of hydrological monitoring infrastructure.
The budget statement noted that open defecation remains at 39.4% of rural households. N$21,261,000 has been allocated for the construction of sanitation facilities in rural communities. During 2025/26, 90 villages were sensitised on Community-Led Total Sanitation and 181 Water Sanitation and Hygiene awareness campaigns were conducted.
