EU invests in livestock growth in northern Namibia The European Union (EU) and the Namibian government recently broke ground on the N$78.9 million Etunda Feedlot Project.  The Windhoek Observer’s Chamwe Kaira asked Ian Dupont, EU deputy head of mission in Namibia, about the Etunda project and other EU-funded agricultural projects in northern parts of the country.   Chamwe Kaira (CK): Why did the EU decide to fund the Etunda Feedlot Project, and what is its importance to the northern regions? Ian Dupont (ID): The European Union (EU) is funding the 1000-cattle capacity Etunda Feedlot, valued at N$80 million, as part of a broader N$400 million support package to the livestock sector in the Northern Communal Areas. The feedlot addresses low throughput and livestock quality challenges faced by NCA abattoirs, ensuring better-quality cattle for slaughter and enabling farmers in regions like Omusati, Kunene, and Oshana to access diversified markets. It is expected to strengthen the livestock value chain, improve business viability and increase income for cattle producers. Together with Namibia’s agriculture ministry, we support these strategic infrastructures across the NCA in order to enhance livestock productivity, strengthen farmers’ adaptation to climate change, and improve access for farmers in the Northern Communal Areas tolocal, regional and international markets through the Commodity Based Trade (CBT). It is an important milestone in Namibia’s agricultural and economic development. Our support wants to bring sustainable growth, innovation, and empowerment to cattle farmers in the NCA. Fully in line with the recently launched NDP6.  CK: What other agriculture projects is the EU funding in the northern regions? ID: Under the LSP, the EU is also financing the upgrading of the Opuwo slaughterhouse to a modern abattoir and building an Artificial Insemination Centre at Okapya, renovating quarantine and farm facilities at Omutambo Maowe Constructing an agricultural development centre, veterinary office and staff housing at Nkurenkuru, and upgrading the auction facility in Ncaute and enhancing quarantine facilities and farm infrastructure in Katima Mulilo. Additionally, earlier this month we handed over five 30-tonne 4×4 heavy-duty trucks to the Ministry of Agriculture to improve transport and logistics capacities across the sector. A further 9 vehicles will follow. CK: What other agriculture-related projects is the EU involved in across Namibia? ID: The EU co-founded the Communal Land Development Project (CLDP), contributing €17.2 million towards enhancing land management, productivity, and market orientation in communal areas through land use planning, securing land rights, infrastructure development, and advisory services. This programme concluded in March 2023. CK: Apart from agriculture, what other development projects is the EU involved in within northern Namibia? ID: The European Union and Namibia have a long-standing partnership that covers a wide variety of areas. From education to governance, renewable energy to critical raw materials, and agriculture.  The EU mainly focuses on three areas: education, inclusive green growth, good governance and gender equality. In this framework, we have supported early childhood education across the country. Additionally, we have also strengthened vocational training in Namibia. A flagship achievement was the creation of the Northern Training Hub, comprising the Nakayale, Eenhana, and Valombola Vocational Training Centres. These centres of excellence offer young Namibians access to skills development, especially in sectors like agriculture, construction, and renewable energy. It has boosted employability and supported regional development. This project was co-funded with the German GIZ.  Further, our support for green hydrogen (GH2) and critical raw materials is well known; however, those developments are mainly focused on the Erongo region and Lüderitz. Namibia successfully positioned itself as a frontrunner in GH2, with several large-scale potential investment projects in the pipeline, representing over €20 billion in projected investment, such as HyIron, Cleanergy, Hyphen, Zhero, HDF, Elof Hanssen, and Daures. On governance, the EU is supporting a nationwide campaign on fighting gender-based violence and positive masculinity, together with the UN. We also support the Anti-Corruption Commission of Namibia in their fight against corruption.  There are a number of other projects, specifically in the north, that are worth mentioning. For example, we have projects to strengthen conservation, to support anti-poaching efforts, to promote sustainable economic development and to improve governance across the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA). The EU also contributed to a wildlife crime project, funding K9 unit operational costs. We have also supported the IUCN Africa Wildlife Initiative to address human-wildlife conflict, particularly involving large carnivores. In a show of solidarity with the Namibian people, the European Union also provided a humanitarian contribution of €911,000 (approximately N$19 million) to UNICEF to support Namibia’s drought emergency response to the effects of El Niño and La Niña. The contribution to UNICEF supports 86,000 Namibians in key affected areas, including Katima Mulilo (Zambezi), Andara, Nyangana and Rundu (Kavango East), Nkurekuru and Nankundu (Kavango West), Okongo, Eenhana and Engela (Ohangwena), as well as Khorixas, Outjo and Opuwo (Kunene). For marginalised communities, the EU, together with the Legal Assistance Centre has a project to strengthen the legal empowerment of Namibia’s San communities. It builds legal literacy, expands access to justice via paralegal training and mobile clinics, and engages state institutions to improve services and protect indigenous rights. There are many more regional and national projects, but too many to name here. CK: Do you have any concluding remarks? ID: The EU and Namibia have a partnership that works for both the Namibian people and European people. It also worth noting that the EU and its member states are Namibia’s number one trading partner and development partner. Not only does Namibia have a positive trade balance with the EU, we also have a very diverse trade profile that goes beyond the export of raw materials. The EU buys Namibian products that have local value addition such as high value fruits, beef, charcoal and many others. We remain committed to supporting job creation, innovation, and economic resilience. The Etunda Feedlot is one concrete example of how investing together in local infrastructure and skills can help build a stronger, more inclusive future for all Namibians. Caption Ian Dupont.  * Photo: European Union 

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EU donates livestock trucks to boost Northern communal farming EU donates livestock trucks to boost Northern communal farming NBC Online Sat, 06/28/2025 - 17:55

#EUDonations #LivestockFarming #NamibiaAgriculture #SustainableFarming #CommunityDevelopment

Kharas Farmers Push for Neckartal Green Scheme [New Era] Farmers in the Kharas region are calling on government through the ministry of agriculture to expedite the operationalisation of green schemes around the Neckartal Dam, saying the construction of the dam has not yet yielded any benefits for them.

#KharasFarmers #NeckartalDam #GreenSchemes #NamibiaAgriculture #SustainableFarming

Strategies for preventing post-harvest losses of grains By Hanks Saisai Many farmers across Namibia have achieved substantial cereal grain yields due to the normal to above-normal rainfall received across the country. Currently, many smallholder farmers have commenced with threshing their grain for the common staple grains (Mahangu, Maize and Sorghum) and have engaged in preparations to store

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The potential in organising poultry producers to enhance local production Hanks Saisai  According to the Namibian Poultry Producers’ Association (PPA), the Namibian poultry industry ‘s production value reached N$1.74 billion in 2024, representing an approximate 13% increase from the N$1.5 billion recorded in 2023. The sector now stands as the second-largest contributor to Namibia’s agricultural production, trailing only the cattle industry, which recorded an estimated N$3.2 billion in 2024, according to the PPA. With poultry products (eggs and meat) being among the most affordable protein sources for many households in Namibia, this presents an ideal opportunity for local poultry farmers to get organised and enjoy a fair market share of these essential products. As the poultry industry continues to grow, it is essential for all poultry farmers to first register as producers with the Livestock and Livestock Products Board (LLPB), previously known as the Meatboard of Namibia. Moreover, poultry farmers should also register as members of the PPA. This will allow the regulator (LLPB) and the association (PPA) to determine the precise number of poultry farmers in each region and the produce they can offer monthly. Moreover, through the Market Share promotion scheme, the association can collaborate with the regulator to increase the local production quota. Additionally, major producers can subcontract small-scale farmers to supply them with eggs and meat. This arrangement could create a reliable and sustainable market for small producers and provide an opportunity to expand their production capacity. Alternatively, regional farmers could form cooperatives that can be utilised to purchase inputs such as chicks, hens, feed, vaccines, antibiotics, disinfectants and supplements in bulk.  This strategy could potentially lower individual farmers’ input costs, as many farmers can be offered discounts from input suppliers when buying in bulk. Additionally, farmers can share the transportation costs of these inputs from suppliers to distribution points in their respective regions. This will enable smallholder farmers to significantly lower input costs and gain a better competitive advantage to sustain their enterprises, as the production unit cost will be reduced. On the marketing side, farmers involved in the trade of poultry products can enjoy a fair market share by forming a marketing cooperative that allows them to pool their resources together and offer products to formal markets such as wholesalers, retailers, tourism facilities, government institutions, as well as informal markets such as vendors. This co-operative will ensure that it addresses the three crucial aspects of markets, which are quality, quantity and consistency, thus enabling farmers to understand the product quantities and quality they need to offer monthly. For instance, if a market demands 10,000 eggs monthly, farmers can pull resources from their respective enterprises to reach the monthly target. Upon receiving the payment, the co-operative could distribute the income according to the number of eggs a farmer offered from their enterprise. Organising farmers involved in poultry production has the potential to yield numerous positive benefits, and with the support of all industry players, including farmers, regulators, and associations, such initiatives could foster sector growth and unlock hidden markets through self-reliance. Being organised also ensures that consistency, quality, and quantity requirements are met while reducing individual farmers’ costs. For regulators, this presents an opportunity to access accurate information regarding the production capacity of local farmers and to explore modalities of reducing dependency on imports by allocating additional quotas to local farmers. *Hanks Saisai serves as the Technical Advisor on Crops and Poultry at AgriBank under the Agricultural Advisory Services Division (AASD).

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The Potential in Organising Poultry Producers to Enhance Local Production According to the Namibian Poultry Producers’ Association (PPA), the poultry industry’s production value reached N$1.74 billion in 2024, representing an approximate 13% increase from the N$1.5 billion recorded in 2023. The sector now stands as the second-largest contributor to Namibia’s agricultural production, trailing only the cattle industry, which recorded an estimated N$3.2 billion in 2024, according to the PPA. With poultry products being among the most affordable protein sources for many households in Namibia, it presents an ideal opportunity for local poultry farmers to get organised and enjoy a fair market share of these essential products. As the poultry industry continues to grow, it is essential for all poultry farmers to register as producers with the Livestock and Livestock Products Board of Namibia, previously known as the Meat Board of Namibia. Poultry farmers should also register as members of the PPA. This will allow the regulator and the association to determine the precise number of poultry farmers in each region and the produce they can offer monthly. Through the market share promotion scheme, the association can collaborate to increase the local production quota. Major producers can subcontract small-scale farmers to supply them with eggs and meat. This arrangement could create a reliable and sustainable market for small producers and provide an opportunity to expand their production capacity. Alternatively, regional farmers could form co-operatives that can be utilised to purchase inputs such as chicks, hens, feed, vaccines, antibiotics, disinfectants and supplements in bulk. This strategy could potentially lower individual farmers’ input costs, as many farmers can be offered discounts from input suppliers when buying in bulk. Farmers can share the transportation costs of these inputs from suppliers to distribution points in their respective regions. This will enable smallholder farmers to have significantly lower input costs and gain a better competitive advantage to sustain their enterprises, as the production unit cost will be reduced. On the marketing side, farmers involved in the trade of poultry products can enjoy a fair market share by forming a marketing co-operative that allows them to pool their resources together and offer products to formal markets such as wholesalers, retailers, tourism facilities, government institutions, as well as informal markets such as vendors. This co-operative will ensure that it addresses the three crucial aspects of markets, which are quality, quantity and consistency, thus enabling farmers to understand the product quantities and quality they need to offer monthly. For instance, if a market demands 10 000 eggs monthly, farmers can pull resources from their respective enterprises to reach the monthly target. Upon receiving the payment, the co-operative could distribute the income according to the number of eggs a farmer offered from their enterprise. Organising farmers involved in poultry production has the potential to yield numerous positive benefits, and with the support of all industry players, including farmers, regulators and associations, such initiatives could foster sector growth and unlock hidden markets through achieved self-reliance. Being organised also ensures that consistency, quality and quantity requirements are met while reducing individual farmers’ costs. For regulators, this presents an opportunity to access accurate information regarding the production capacity of local farmers and to explore modalities of reducing dependency on imports by allocating additional quotas to local farmers. – Hanks Saisai is a technical adviser in crops and poultry. The post The Potential in Organising Poultry Producers to Enhance Local Production appeared first on The Namibian.

#PoultryProduction #NamibiaAgriculture #LocalFarmers #PoultryIndustry #SustainableFarming

Agreement to export mutton and chevon to China signed Agreement to export mutton and chevon to China signed NBC Online Fri, 05/09/2025 - 17:36

#MuttonExport #ChevonTrade #ChinaAgreement #NamibiaAgriculture #TradeDeal

Venture Into Crop Production This Winter [New Era] During winter, farmers in these zones can grow a variety of winter vegetables such as onions, cabbage, lettuce, beetroot, carrots, broccoli and cauliflower to meet local demand.

#CropProduction #WinterVegetables #SustainableFarming #NamibiaAgriculture #VegetableFarming