Staff Reporter
Windhoek-The average value of Namibian livestock and meat exports since 2012 has reached the magic number of more than N$2.1 billion.
The Meat Board of Namibia last Friday confirmed this to Farmers Forum, saying if the value of contributions by livestock producers in terms of levies paid to the Meat Board of Namibia is measured against the value of the meat industry, it shows that for each N$1 levy paid an export value of N$64 has been created over the past five years. This has been achieved despite the South African livestock import restrictions, foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks and periodical droughts in the mentioned period. The achievement comes just days after the launch and start of the Fifth National Development Plan (NDP5) for the five-year period 2017/2018 to 2021/2022.
The plan aims to turn Namibia into an industrialised country as part of Vision 2030’s objectives. Relevant aspects of the plan will be incorporated into the strategic plan of the Meat Board as well as the collective vision of the livestock and meat industry. NDP5 envisions that livestock production will have grown by 10%, food production by 30% and economic growth would be at 6.2% by 2021/2022.
It is expected that the development plan will make a more focused contribution to economic growth than previous development plans.
Despite a significant reduction from 28% to 18% between 2010 and 2015, poverty is still rife, and inequality is driven by a lack of access to basic services such as electricity, water, education and training opportunities.
Motivating the National Planning Commission’s budget in the National Assembly earlier this year, minister Tom Alweendo said NDP5 focuses on sustainable development. He said there are four key goals for NDP5, which are achieving inclusive, sustainable and equitable growth; building capable and healthy human resources; ensuring a sustainable environment and enhancing resilience, while promoting good governance through effective institutions.
Alweendo described NDP5 as a product of an exhaustive consultation process with a wide variety of stakeholders both within and outside government, which “formulation process embraced the concept of partnership in pursuit of national development goals”.
Alweendo added that the document is informed by various frameworks, including United Nations global sustainable development goals (Agenda 2030), the Southern African Development Community (SADC) regional integrated strategic plan, Vision 2030, Harambee Prosperity Plan and the Swapo Party manifesto.