NAUTE DAM - No major adverse effect has been felt as a consequence of the Naute irrigation project outside Keetmanshoop operating without electricity for several weeks.
This was the view of Namibia Industrial Development Agency (Nida) senior corporate communications manager, Wessel !Nanuseb.
“The harvesting of grapes at the farm will be carried out as per the 2023/4 harvest plan. In addition, we have made an upfront payment to NamPower, whilst successful negotiations have been concluded. As a result, power supply will be restored during the day,” he told New Era on enquiry yesterday.
The spokesperson stated that Nida has finalised its five-year Integrated Business Strategic Plan, which will cover long-and-short term interventions to make it self-sustaining.
“The agency commenced with the process to assess the power consumption in order to establish alternative energy supply sources through a new solar project in order to reduce costs, stabilise the energy supply at the project, as well as create new job opportunities in the process,” he added.
!Nanuseb added that the remuneration of all permanent and seasonal workers is not only carried by the proceeds of the produce sales, but also from income derived from other Nida operations countrywide.
Therefore, the retrenchment of employees was and will remain a distant avenue in all circumstances, he stated.
!Nanuseb emphasised that Nida already has a marketing agent for the grapes, while none is needed for the dates as they have already established clientele for it.
“Nida would like to reiterate that it has been fulfilling its developmental mandate through SMEs infrastructure support, employment-creation through its agribusiness ventures such as the Naute irrigation project and the Kavango cattle ranch, as well as other related projects geared towards industrialisation, including private sector-led ventures,” he continued.
The Naute irrigation project is located in the southern part of Namibia, and about 50 kilometres south-west of Keetmanshoop.
The agricultural development project is immediately below the dam wall. Physical development activities at the Naute project commenced in 1990, with the first date palms planted in 1991. The primary objective of this project is to establish a commercial agricultural project at the Naute Dam. Dates and grapes are primarily harvested, with pomegranates and prickly pears on a smaller scale. In terms of value-addition, all produce not fit for export and local market standards are used to make liquor and gins for export at the Naute Kristal Distillery. Grapes are normally harvested between November and January, whilst the period for dates is from February to May.
- sklukowski@nepc.com.na