Rose-Mary Haufiku
Four local authorities received the Urban Agriculture Grant e-voucher card valued at N$500 000 which totals up to N$2 million.
This was during the Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia (EIF)’s e-voucher card issuance and terminal rollout at Mariental on Independence Day.
These local authorities received the grant because they are located in the four regions targeted for grant e-voucher card issuance and terminal rollout as part of the project, ‘Strengthening Namibia Food Systems to Recover from Emergencies and Disease-related Shocks Through the Build Back Better (BBB) programme’.
With these e-voucher grants, the 56 beneficiaries will have access to goods and services from specifically selected retailers through the system. There are selected retailers in the various towns that beneficiaries will procure from for the different goods they may require for the successful implementation of their various projects.
This initiative is being implemented in collaboration with the Windhoek Municipality (Khomas), Swakopmund Municipality (Erongo), Rundu Town Council (Kavango East) and the Daweb constituency (Maltahöhe) of the Hardap region.
With financial support from the Japanese government, the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform (MAWLR) launched the Urban Agriculture Concept BBB Programme, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia (EIF), as a responsible party.
According to EIF chief operations officer Karl Mutani Aribeb, the e-voucher system is a means of making services more accessible to urban farmers because it is a digitalised service that also enhances small-scale farmers’ livelihoods in urban and peri-urban areas through income.
Salomon Boois, regional councillor of the Aranos constituency, at the issuance expressed his gratitude for the opportunity that residents of the Hardap region had received and urged the EIF to collaborate with the Hardap Regional Council to develop initiatives that are tailored to the region’s needs.
Regional councillor for Rehoboth Rural constituency and chairperson of the Hardap Regional Council Gershon Dausab, while delivering the keynote address, said the beneficiaries must use the given opportunity to prove that they are capable.
“Resources are limited, and I urge you to ensure that you commit to executing your project to the best of your ability,” said Dausab.
He also requested that the council and the EIF of Namibia should engage and see how they can assist the council with regard to project proposals for the unique development of the Hardap region.
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