More than 50 farmers and officials from the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), and National Commission on Research, Science and Technology (NCRST) are attending a workshop at Otjiwarongo to finalise a national draft document that will guide local bio-economy production activities.

Bio-economy production refers to all business activities centred around and derives livelihoods on the local natural resources to produce their fertilisers, animal feed, food for consumption, fuel, building materials and green technology, amongst others.

The one-day workshop was organised by NCRST and is being facilitated by FAO’s National Project Coordinator, Eugene Kanguatjivi.

Kanguatjivi, in his introduction, said the purpose of the workshop with the farmers is to come together and finalise a government draft document that will guide producers of various products from natural resources.

The information contained in the document was collected from different regions and stakeholders, which the workshop is supposed to finalise and validate before it is passed on to Cabinet for approval and consequently publishing, said Kanguatjivi.

‘The draft document contains 92 pages, which the participants here at the workshop will go through, page-by-page, to finalise,’ he said.

“The document will guide the local producers from the year 2023 to 2028,” said Kanguatjivi.

Several speakers at the workshop, including the Executive Director in the Ministry of Higher Education, Technology and Innovation, Alfred van Kent expressed wishes to see the country becoming successful in food and raw material production, as well as value addition.

The workshop is expected to present to participants topics related to global bio-economy projects, bio-economy development activities and bio innovation.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency