Agriculture executive director Ndiyakupi Nghituwamata announced that the ministry will soon construct a meat- processing plant to the tune of N$35 million in Katima Mulilo.
The construction of the meat-processing plant is among the major activities funded by the European Union (EU) through the 11th European Development Fund. She made the announcement this week during the site inspection of close to five hectares situated at the Katima Mulilo abattoir, where the processor will be build. Nghituwamata indicated that apart from the construction of the meat-processing plant, the funding also includes the construction of the Katima Mulilo quarantine facility and the upgrading of the Sachinga livestock development centre (which will be equipped with a satellite artificial insemination facility) in the Zambezi region.
“The Katima Mulilo abattoir is an export abattoir, which means that we have been exporting raw beef to other countries with less to no value-addition. With this new meat-processing plant, we will be able to add value to the meat, and simultaneously create jobs (during the construction period and the operationalisation of the plant) in the Zambezi region,” she added.
The livestock support programme is implemented in the eight northern communal areas (NCAs) of the Kunene, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Ohangwena, Kavango West, Kavango East and Zambezi regions.
The overall objective of the programme is to promote entrepreneurship and enhance the livelihoods of NCAs’ livestock farming communities in a sustainable way, with the purpose to improve the performance of the livestock value chain in the NCAs.
The programme is funded through a programme estimate by the EU in the amount of N$284 million.
The livestock support programme is implemented by indirect management, with the government represented by the national authorising officer, which is the National Planning Commission of Namibia. The contracting authority for the programme estimate activities is the national authorising officer, while the ministry of agriculture is the project implementer.
The financing agreement for the programme in the NCAs was signed on 8 June 2017, while the livestock support programme estimate was signed on 15 August 2019 for the implementation of the programme activities until 14 April 2025.
This programme estimate is in line with the national plan for the development of the beef value chain in the NCAs.
–anakale@nepc.com.na