Windhoek
Agribusdev has made significant strides to advance agriculture and endeavour to provide food security to Namibians.
A total of 14 320 tonnes of maize were produced by the Green Scheme sourced from various farms. However, this record shows a contraction of 1 432 tonnes in comparison with the preceding year. Wheat production has notably shrunk by 545 tonnes as opposed to the previous year. Managing director of Agribusdev, Petrus Uuwanga, says through different schemes, Agribusdev has produced diversified agricultural products and has witnessed tremendous growth. Cooking oil, Kalimbeza rice, wheat and maize flour production are some of the products of value addition paradigm.
Similarly, the Green Scheme also made significant strides in the diversification of crops. A number of farms introduced various cultivars to increase yield and satisfy the national food security agenda. A whopping N$5.4 billion will be required from government and private entities over the next 14 years if Namibia’s Vision 2030 target of putting 27 000 hectares of land under irrigation is to be achieved.
Minister of Agriculture, Water and Forestry, John Mutorwa, as key-note speaker at last week’s first Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Agribusdev, noted that in years of persistent droughts in Namibia and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), it is becoming increasingly unavoidable for the country to scale up financial investments in both the agricultural and water sectors to improve and expand on the existing 11 500 hectares currently under irrigation.
Mutorwa says if the 27 000 hectares under the Green Scheme Projects are eventually developed, it would provide more than 40 000 direct jobs and the current level of 200 000 tonnes of cereal for local consumption would be met. “This would mean achieving food security, full import substitution of cereals, and relieving pressure from urban centres, “ he notes.
At all six Green Scheme farms managed by State-owned marketing company, Agribusdev, the losses consumed the profits resulting in a total loss of N$1,381 million in the 2014/15 financial year. This represents a decrease of 28 percent compared to the total financial loss of N$1.931 million posted in the 2013/14 financial year, analysis of the annual reports of Agribusdev reveals.
Reflecting on the state of Agribusdev in its 2015 annual report, managing director Petrus Uuwanga revealed at the company’s first AGM that despite Agribusdev making headway, it is still experiencing challenges with severe implications for the Green Scheme’s operations, such as high costs of production and volatility in production.
He noted the concern that Etunda and Unhungu-vhungu continue to post losses, while Kalimbeza, Hardap, Shadikongoro and Sikondo made profits.