The German Embassy in Namibia on Thursday donated masks, 2 450 hand sanitisers, disinfectant refill, spray bottles and anti-bacterial hand soaps, among others, valued at N.dollars 752 416 to the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform.
During the handover ceremony, Head of Cooperation at the embassy Gabriele Geier said, so far the German government has spent about N.dollars 190 million in helping the Namibian government in the fight against COVID-19 since the pandemic broke out last year, and it will continue this support.
She said the support to the ministry is to strengthen the agri-food sector and to improve the livelihoods of communal smallholder farmers – men and women alike, noting the challenges and vulnerabilities are manifold and interlinked, but COVID-19 comes on top of other challenges.
“Climate change and adaptation through climate-sensitive cultivation methods and diversification is another big challenge. In addition, the development of innovative agribusiness, financing and marketing models are as much-needed as the improvement of nutritional awareness and diversification of the diet if we are aiming at improving the food and nutrition security of communities and families,” said Geier.
Executive Director in the ministry Percy Misika said the agriculture sector remains central to the lives of the majority of the Namibian population, as the sector directly and indirectly supports over 70 per cent of the country’s inhabitants for sustenance, incomes and livelihoods. But it is facing various challenges.
“Challenges include changing climatic patterns, low and erratic rainfall, poor soil fertility and lack of well-adapted agricultural technologies. The occurrence of new crop pests which are not endemic to the region such as Fall Army Worms, African Red Locusts and recurring Foot and Mouth diseases further curb agricultural production and severely impair the development of the sector,” said Misika.
He added that the donation came at a more opportune time and will go a long way in supporting and safeguarding the ministry staff members from being unnecessarily exposed to contracting COVID-19 as they continue to assist farmers and the public countrywide.
Source: Namibia Press Agency
