Swakopmund: A weeklong workshop under the second phase of the Support Towards the Operationalisation of the SADC Regional Agricultural Policy (STOSAR II) project is underway at Swakopmund in the Erongo region. The workshop, which commenced on Monday, aims to strengthen integrated data management across agriculture, fisheries, water, and land sectors and brought together technical officers, statisticians, and focal persons from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform (MAFWLR), as well as regional partners.
According to Namibia Press Agency, in an opening speech delivered on his behalf, Food and Agriculture Organisation Subregional Coordinator for Southern Africa Dr Patrice Talla stated that agriculture remains the backbone of Southern African economies, supporting food security, livelihoods, trade, and resilience to climate shocks. Talla noted that fragmented, inconsistent, and weak data systems continue to constrain effective planning, monitoring, and policy decisions.
He emphasized that the Agricultural Information Management System (AIMS) platform, developed during the first phase of STOSAR, is central to SADC's efforts to strengthen evidence-based agricultural governance. The coordinator acknowledged progress made following the endorsement of the regional AIMS strategy and core indicators by SADC Ministers of Agriculture, but also pointed out challenges such as limited interoperability and inconsistent national indicators.
Talla recalled that during a regional SADC AIMS workshop in November 2025, Member States committed to aligning national indicators with the SADC AIMS framework, uploading at least 70 per cent of their data, standardising metadata procedures, and aligning national reporting with the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) frameworks.
Speaking on behalf of MAFWLR, Chief Statistician and SADC AIMS national focal point for Namibia Stephanus Sanda highlighted that while Namibia has skilled technical officers, data often remains siloed, limiting the ability to understand linkages between land use, water access, agricultural productivity, and fisheries management. He stated that the workshop aims to promote a common understanding of the data lifecycle, standardisation, and the use of modern analytical and visualisation tools.
Participants will receive hands-on training in data analysis, dashboard development, and policy brief drafting, and will map national indicators to regional and continental frameworks.