Windhoek: The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform, along with various stakeholders, has launched the Implementation Strategy for the Transformation of the Agri-Food Sector. This initiative, unveiled in Windhoek, is focused on enhancing productivity and sustainability within the agricultural sector.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the ministry's Executive Director, Ndiyakupi Nghituwamata, emphasized that the strategy acts as a 'vehicle for the implementation of key developmental priorities within the agri-food sector.' The launch of this strategy is a response to President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah's directive for the ministry to develop a structure for implementing the agri-food sector transformation plan. This plan aims to identify priority investment areas and define stakeholder roles by December 2025.

Nghituwamata also urged stakeholders to collaborate and pool resources to increase investment and improve sector performance. She highlighted that joint integrated planning, streamlined implementation, and continuous monitoring and evaluation are essential to achieving the strategy's objectives.

During the same event, Ben Haraseb, Director of Agriculture Production, Extension and Engineering Services, stated that the strategy will serve as a valuable tool for planning and budgeting within Namibia's agriculture sector. He pointed out the sector's deficiency in technical and vocational training, noting the scarcity of skilled and semi-skilled workers.

Haraseb further called for investment in the local production and manufacturing of fertilizers, seeds, and chemicals. He stressed that reliance on imports makes these products costly for local farmers, underscoring the need for domestic production to support the sector's growth.