Agriculture outlines achievements for 2023/24 

•By Allexer Namundjembo

Agriculture executive director, Ndiyakupi Nghituwamata said that her ministry has managed to supply potable water to 91.75% of households.

Nghituwamata said the ministry has constructed new water harvesting infrastructure, including several earth dams in various regions. They also completed constructing and rehabilitating pipelines, water points, and boreholes, significantly improving water access. Additionally, the ministry built sanitation facilities across multiple regions.

“We have constructed twelve new earth dams as part of the water harvesting infrastructure in regions such as Ohangwena, Oshana, Kavango West and Hardap. Additionally, we have constructed three new rehabilitation short pipelines and constructed ninety-four sanitation facilities,” she said,

Nghituwamata further added that animal disease is a significant activity of the DVS, and active-passive surveillance activities such as farm inspection, community visits, ante- and post-mortem inspections at abattoirs, supervision and livestock inspection at livestock auctions are performed. 

“A total number of 121 079 cattle have been vaccinated against the foot and mouth disease, and of this number, a total of 108 422 cattle were vaccinated in the infected zone and 12 657 in the protection area,” she said.

She added that the ministry has developed the Namibia Agricultural Mechanization and Seed Improvement Project, which intends to improve household incomes and the lives of rural people through increased agricultural production and productivity.

“In line with Namibia’s fifth National Development Plan (NDP 5), Harambee prosperity plan and growth at home strategy for industrialization, which identify agriculture as a priority area, with the potential to contribute to income development, social transformation and good governance, we have come up with this project,” Nghituwamata said.

She added that, in this year’s financial year, the ministry acquired three farms in the Omaheke, Otjozondjupa, and Kunene regions, and those farms will soon be available for resettlement purposes.