KATIMA MULILO – Late Founding President Sam Nujoma was more than a political figure – he was a visionary leader who believed in the power of agriculture to transform the lives of Namibians.
His dedication to ensuring food security and self-sufficiency for his people was evident in the policies he championed, and the projects he personally supported.
One such initiative is the Kalimbeza Rice Project in the Zambezi Region, where Nujoma actively participated in the transplanting of rice between 2008 and 2010.
“Our founding father had agriculture at heart. He wanted to see that Namibian citizens don’t go to bed on an empty stomach. Hence, he pushed for the development of Green Schemes. His dream was to see Namibia as one of the rice producers in Africa,” Kalimbeza Rice Project manager Patrick Kompeli recalled.
This passion for agricultural growth was not just political rhetoric – it was a cause Nujoma embodied through action. His hands-on participation in projects like Kalimbeza symbolised his belief that Namibia had the potential to become a food-secure nation.
Kompeli believes Nujoma’s legacy in agriculture was one of resilience, vision and determination. Furthermore, Nujoma understood that a nation’s strength is rooted in its ability to feed itself.
“As we remember Dr. Sam Nujoma, we celebrate not only his role as the architect of Namibia’s independence, but also his deep-rooted commitment to the land, and the people who cultivate it. His dream of a food-secure Namibia lives on, inspiring farmers, policymakers and all those who strive to turn his vision into reality,” he continued.