Justicia Shipena
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) says Namibia still imports nearly half of its pearl millet, locally known as mahangu, despite the crop being the country’s main staple food, prompting a new effort to improve production and strengthen the value chain.
FAO representative in Namibia Patrice Talla said Mahangu remains central to food security, especially in northern communal areas where families have depended on it for generations.
“Mahangu is the primary cereal for more than 60% of Namibians,” Talla said during the launch of the One Country One Priority Product (OCOP) initiative in Oshakati this week.
According to Talla, Namibia currently produces about 371 800 metric tonnes of mahangu annually, meeting only 52% of national demand, while the rest is imported.
He said production dropped sharply during the 2022/23 drought season, falling from 44 100 metric tonnes to 36 100 metric tonnes.
“Average yields stand at approximately 300 kilograms per hectare, a figure that tells a story of untapped potential,” Talla said.
FAO’s global One Country One Priority Product programme launched in 2021 to help countries develop agricultural products with cultural, nutritional and economic value. Namibia selected Mahangu as its priority crop under the programme.
Talla said mahangu was chosen because of its importance in Namibia’s food culture and its ability to survive harsh weather conditions.
“Mahangu’s deep root system, short growing cycle, and remarkable drought tolerance make it the crop most naturally suited to our conditions,” he said.
The project, titled “Support to improve productivity and value chain development of pearl millet (mahangu) in Namibia”, is funded through FAO’s Technical Cooperation Programme with an investment of US$250 000 (approximately N$4.6 million) and will run until August 2027.
The programme is being implemented with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform, the Namibia Agronomic Board, the University of Namibia and the Namibia National Farmers Union.
The project aims to address challenges affecting Mahangu production, including limited access to improved seed varieties, weak market systems, poor post-harvest infrastructure and low adoption of modern farming methods.
The programme plans to increase certified Mahangu seed production from 53 tonnes to 65 tonnes annually and improve yields from 300 kilograms per hectare to 350 kilograms per hectare.
FAO also plans to train 56 government extension officers and support seed growers in the Omusati, Kavango East and Zambezi regions.
Talla said Mahangu remains important nutritionally because it is rich in vitamins and minerals and supports vulnerable rural communities.
“For millions of Namibians, particularly children, women, and the elderly in rural communities, Mahangu is not merely a food preference. It is a nutritional lifeline,” he said.
The sixth National Development Plan (NDP6), which aims to expand livestock and crop value chains to contribute at least 8% to GDP by 2030.
According to Talla, the programme also supports government initiatives such as the Dryland Crop Production Programme, the Green Scheme Policy and the Namibia Mechanisation and Seed Improvement Programme.
“Building the resilience of Mahangu production systems in the Northern Communal Areas is precisely the kind of structural, long-term investment that reduces our collective vulnerability to the next drought,” he said.
The programme will also include workshops with farmers, processors, traders, researchers and policymakers to develop a national action plan for Mahangu value chain development.
Talla said women and young farmers must play a central role in the project.
“All of this will be done with a firm commitment that women and young farmers are not afterthoughts, but active participants and leaders in the process,” he said.
Delivering a speech on behalf of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform minister, deputy executive director Kachana Kamwi said the government also wants to transform mahangu from a subsistence crop into a commercially competitive product capable of creating jobs, improving food security and contributing more to the economy.
“Our farmers have cultivated mahangu under harsh climatic conditions where other crops failed. Its ability to withstand drought and thrive across different soil types makes it one of the most strategic crops for our future,” he said.
Kamwi said the initiative will also promote climate-smart agriculture.
Kamwi said cooperation between farmers, cooperatives, research institutions and development partners will be important for the programme’s success.
“This initiative will strengthen ongoing collaborative efforts with farmers, research institutions, cooperatives, development partners and all role-players in the agriculture sector,” he said.
He urged stakeholders to work together to improve food production and strengthen Namibia’s agricultural sector.
He added that crops such as mahangu will become increasingly important as Namibia faces climate pressures and growing food security concerns.
“The future of agriculture depends on crops that can adapt to climate variability while nourishing our people and strengthening our economy. Pearl millet is one such crop,” he said.
