Baku:Zambezi A senior official from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform has voiced concerns about the exclusion of the Zambezi Region from the NamiGreen project, a climate resilience initiative. Nitu Mataya, a senior research technician, highlighted the issue during Deputy Minister Ruthy Masake's regional visit.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the NamiGreen project, funded with US$8 million by the Global Environment Facility, aims to transform national food systems. However, its implementation is limited to the Kavango East, Kavango West, ||Kharas, Omaheke, and Omusati regions, leaving out Zambezi.

During her visit, Deputy Minister Masake met with local aquaculture farmers and staff from the Directorate of Veterinary Services. She is also scheduled to inspect the Zambezi Meat Corporation facilities. Masake encouraged fish farmers to increase production to meet the rising market demand, especially in light of the Foot-and-Mouth Disease outbreak affecting livestock.

Mataya expressed that efforts have been ongoing since 2024 to advocate for the region's inclusion, particularly for small-scale fishers and farmers. He disputed the notion that Zambezi has benefited from other projects, arguing that it is unfair to exclude regional farmers during the pilot phase of NamiGreen.

In response to these concerns, Deputy Minister Masake acknowledged the shortcomings in farmer support and promised improvements, including training workshops and targeted assistance. She also urged local investors to establish a fish-feed manufacturing plant to reduce production costs.