Tujoromajo Kasuto
The implementation of the N$1.4 billion Namibia Mechanisation and Seed Improvement Program (NAMSIP) is set to bring about improved productivity and modernization of agricultural activity through scaled-up deployment of ploughing services and better seeds.
According to the Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, Carl Schlettwein, this is alongside the N$380.1 million Livestock Support Program funded by the European Union.
He says the product and post-resettlement financing facilities by AgriBank, are a series of value chain development schemes for cereal, horticulture, poultry, milk, small stock and beef across the country.
Schlettwein says that any development, agronomic or otherwise, cannot take place without water. In this regard, the Government has commenced with the implementation of the National Water Sector Support Program.
The program is jointly funded to the tune of about N$10 billion over the next five years comprising water purification plants, desalination of sea and underground water, development of aquifer well-fields and water distribution infrastructure outlay, provision of access to land for investment and private utilization purposes through freehold title in commercial areas and leases in communal set-up, with secure land rights tenure commensurate with utilization proposals.
At the same time, he said that the land resettlement policy is revised to inject secure conditions for ownership and productivity obligations, thus enabling real empowerment and productive utilization, effective utilization of the Green Schemes through leveraging private sector participation.
“In this regard, I am pleased to inform that as part of the policy decision to put the schemes in sustainable utilization through leveraging private capital, the Uvhungu Vungu Dairy Project was recently awarded to a joint venture of private operators, three other schemes of Ndonga Linena; Uvhungu Vhung and Orange River Irrigation Project are at adjudication stage, while the remaining three schemes; namely, Shadikongoro, Sikondo and Etunda have not yet been advertised and remain with the Ministry, Implementation of the N$1.4 billion Namibia Mechanisation and Seed Improvement Program (NAMSIP) to bring about improved productivity and modernization of agricultural activity through scaled-up deployment of ploughing services and better seeds,” he said.
The minister shared these remarks with the Food Security and Agronomic Inter-Sectoral Coordination and Technical Exchange workshop, which brought all key stakeholders in the sub-sector together. This comes as the country aims to boost its food production in the country once the envisaged 2500 Ha for Katima farm/Liselo in Zambezi Region and 5 000 ha at Neckartal Dam in //Kharas Regions are fully developed into the irrigation scheme.The minister said the new land development has the potential to make Namibia a net exporter of staple food and horticulture produce which will contribute to food security in the region. “Our country has enormous potential, not only to feed itself and eliminate hunger and food insecurity, but to also be a major player in global food markets. This potential lies in its land, water and oceans, in its men and women, in its knowledge and global market. Recognizing this opportunity, the Namibian Government chose agriculture as one of the drivers of economic growth,” he said. Agriculture
is a sector that contributes towards eradicating poverty and hunger, boosting intra -Africa trade and investments, sustainable resource and environmental management, andjobs creation.
Additionally, Scheltwein shared that the land resettlement policy is revised to inject secure conditions for ownership and productivity obligations, thus enabling real empowerment and productive utilization, effective utilization of the Green Schemes through leveraging private sector participation.
“In this regard, I am pleased to inform you that as part of the policy decision to put the schemes in sustainable utilization through leveraging private capital, the Uvhungu Vungu Dairy Project was recently awarded to a joint venture of private operators, three other schemes of Ndonga Linena; Uvhungu Vhung and Orange River Irrigation Project are at adjudication stage, while the remaining three schemes; namely, Shadikongoro, Sikondo and Etunda have not yet been advertised and remain with the Ministry,” he said.
