Noordoewer
The Minister of Agriculture Water and Forestry John Mutorwa has called on role players in the horticulture sector to produce more to ensure food security in the country.
In a speech read on his behalf by Sirkka Lileka, the chairperson of the Namibian Agronomic Board (NAB) during the National Horticulture Day celebration in Noordoewer last Wednesday, Mutorwa called on producers to increase production so that Namibia as a country can depend less on other countries for food. He said the country is in pole position to become food secure and food self-sufficient, which will mean being less dependent on imports.
“I would like to encourage local producers to produce more and local traders to keep supporting local producers.”.
He stressed that the objective is to offer Namibian citizens fresh fruit and vegetables that have been proudly produced in the country – “produce that is not only better and fresher but produce that helps to stimulate employment and the Namibian economy”.
Mutorwa called on farmers to equally respect the soil as much as they respect and save water, saying that soil well-taken care of is good as it yields more produce, which will translate into more income.
He thus urged farmers to limit the usage of pesticides and chemical fertilisers as these harmful additives leave residue in soil, which weaken its structure, making it difficult to hold water.
“Fertile soil and good sustainable farming practices result in healthy crops with high yields and higher incomes for producers.”
Lileka, speaking in her capacity as chairperson of NAB, urged farmers to work together as a team for them to be successful, calling on them to learn from each other instead of being jealous of each other.
She said that there is a lack of cooperation between farmers and elected members of the board and regional representatives and these relationships need to improve if the industry is to be a success
The event saw various producers and traders from around the country awarded for their hard work. They received trophies, certificates and vouchers worth N$18 000 from NAB, while Agra sponsored N$6000 to the emerging horticulture producer of the year category winner.