Pretoria: McHenry Venaani, leader of the Popular Democratic Movement, has called on the government to act swiftly to revitalise the national dairy industry.

According to Namibia Press Agency, Venaani issued an open letter to President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, highlighting the importance of his request regarding Namibia's food security, agricultural development, economic self-sufficiency, and effective public resource management. Central to his proposal is the revival of the Uvhungu Vhungu Dairy Farm located in the Kavango East Region.

'The revival of Uvhungu Vhungu Dairy Farm must become a national priority. Government should use this facility as the foundation of a modern dairy industry by procuring 1,000 high-yield dairy cattle through a phased programme and developing the necessary breeding, veterinary, processing and marketing infrastructure required for long-term sustainability,' he said. Venaani asserted that this initiative should not be limited to a single farm but should provide opportunities for communal farmers across the northern regions through dairy cooperatives, out-grower schemes, and farmer support programmes, enabling ordinary Namibians to engage meaningfully in the dairy value chain.

During the launch of the sixth National Development Plan (NDP6) last year, President Nandi-Ndaitwah announced the revival of the Uvhungu-Vhungu Dairy Farm, emphasising government efforts to operationalise it in the Kavango East Region. It has been confirmed that de-bushing has commenced at the farm's advanced dairy infrastructure, established around 2012, which has largely remained idle, producing no milk. The Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform is reportedly finalising contracts with private companies and investors to revitalise and manage the project.

Venaani however noted that despite a substantial government investment of approximately N$200 million about 16 years ago, the facility has remained largely unproductive. He contended that it is difficult to justify allowing this strategic national asset to remain underutilised while Namibian households face escalating living costs and rising food prices. Venaani stated that the facility, meant to be a cornerstone of Namibia's dairy industry, has largely remained unproductive, noting that the situation reflects not only a failure in implementation but also a failure to optimise public investment for the benefit of the Namibian people.

'The people of the Kavango regions, and indeed all Namibians, deserve to see Uvhungu Vhungu Dairy Farm become what it was always intended to be: a thriving centre of dairy production that creates jobs, combats hunger, strengthens food security and reduces our reliance on imports,' he remarked.