CHAMWE KAIRA
More than 230 sheep farmers have endorsed the establishment of a producer-driven company aimed at improving farm-level profitability, increasing producer participation in the livestock value chain and expanding access to competitive markets.
The decision was taken at a sheep indaba hosted by the Livestock Producers Organisation (LPO) on 22 July in Mariental, where producers discussed the future direction of the sheep industry.
The meeting reached a unanimous agreement to establish a company structured around both founder shares and economic shares. Producers agreed that founder shares would be acquired at a cost of N$7500 per share.
Cirrus Capital, which conducted a study on the sheep industry, has been appointed to investigate and implement the proposed share offering. The company will provide further information in the coming days to interested producers, including communal and emerging commercial farmers.
Participation in the initiative will require farmers to be registered producers with the Livestock and Livestock Products Board of Namibia (LLBPN).
During the indaba, the sheep advisory committee, established at the previous LPO congress, presented its findings on the future structure and direction of the industry.
The committee highlighted the need for producers to have a stronger role in determining how their products are managed and marketed across the value chain.
The committee also identified the development of new markets for Namibian mutton and lamb as a priority, noting that the industry should reduce its reliance on one or two traditional markets.
Farmers were encouraged to explore opportunities in neighbouring countries, including Zambia and Angola, where additional markets could potentially be developed beyond the established South African market.
The LPO said the discussions reflected a shared vision among producers to create a stronger and more sustainable sheep industry.
“Crucial action is needed to secure the industry’s future. If farmers do not get on board, someone else will, and the outcome might then look different from what the farmers are hoping for,” was the message delivered to producers during the meeting.
According to the Livestock and Livestock Products Board of Namibia, sheep marketing in 2025 remained below 2024 levels in cumulative terms, despite improved activity later in the year.
Total sheep marketed amounted to 548 817 head, representing a 31.8% decline from 804,519 head marketed in 2024, reflecting continued supply constraints across much of the year.
Of the total marketed volume, slaughtering accounted for 160,480 head (29.2%), while live exports dominated, absorbing 388 337 head (70.8%), underscoring the structural importance of cross-border trade in the sheep value chain.
Live exports were concentrated in South Africa, which accounted for 384 665 head (99.1%) of total live exports, while marginal volumes were exported to Botswana (1 635 head), Zambia (726 head), Zimbabwe (384 head), Ghana (337 head), Angola (305 head), Tanzania (211 head), and Swaziland (74 head).
Total sheep meat exports for 2025 amounted to 598 973 kg, lower than the 734 819 kg exported over the same period in 2024, reflecting an 18.5% contraction.
