CHAMWE KAIRA
The total remuneration package for permanent and temporary employees on Namibia’s commercial farms increased to N$5,087.51 per month in the 2025/2026 wage survey, representing a 15.86% increase from the previous survey.
The survey, conducted every two years by the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU), found that the remuneration package increased from N$4,391.20 in 2024.
On an hourly basis, the total remuneration package amounted to N$27.31, based on employees’ average weekly working hours.
The remuneration package comprises weighted monetary remuneration, the value of free housing, employee livestock, and free transport for employees’ children to schools and sick employees to medical facilities.
Weighted monetary remuneration increased to N$3,599.69 from N$2,931.28 in 2024, while the weighted value of free housing declined slightly to N$1,023.73 from N$1,090.99.
The weighted value of employee livestock increased to N$91 from N$56.72, while the value of free transport increased to N$373.08 from N$312.21.
The survey notes that annual bonuses are not included in the total remuneration figures. Some 85.24% of participating employers reported paying annual bonuses to their employees.
Other benefits, including firewood, electricity, water and Social Security Commission contributions, are also excluded from the remuneration calculation.
The survey found that 90.95% of employers provided annual salary increases to employees.
Access to electricity among employee households increased to 66.22% from 64.20% in 2024, while access to solar power rose to 36.35% from 29.84%. All households covered by the survey had access to firewood.
The weighted average number of dependents per permanent employee declined slightly to 1.53 from 1.60 in 2024.
On health-related matters, 18.33% of employers said they were aware of HIV/AIDS cases among their workforce, down from 20.96% in 2024. Of those employers, 98.70% reported that affected employees were receiving treatment.
Awareness of tuberculosis cases also declined, with 8.81% of respondents reporting cases among employees compared with 11.98% in 2024. All respondents who reported TB cases indicated that affected employees were receiving treatment.
Meanwhile, 31.90% of employers said their employees had undergone general health screening during the preceding 12 months.
Alcohol and substance abuse remained an issue on commercial farms, with 33.57% of employers reporting cases during the survey period. The cases involved 375 employees, equivalent to 12.45% of the workforce covered by the survey.
Workplace injuries were reported by 63 employers. A total of 81 workers were treated on farms, while 78 received treatment at clinics or hospitals. Claims were filed with the Social Security Commission for 28 of the affected employees.
The survey also found limited union representation among farm workers. Employers reported that 51 permanent employees were members of registered workers’ unions, representing approximately 1.87% of permanent employees covered by the survey. Only 2.62% of employers had at least one unionised worker.
The average landholding on which participating employers conducted farming activities was 9 637 hectares, although farm sizes varied significantly, ranging from three hectares to 72 000 hectares. The land includes both properties owned by farmers and leased land.
The NAU cautioned that participation in the wage survey is voluntary and that respondents are not necessarily the same in each survey year. As a result, the sample may vary between survey periods.
