The Executive Council of the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU) last week reviewed their activities the past year and reflected on the way ahead.
The seven strategic aims were used as guideline. Highest priority again was the surety about land ownership and land use and coupled with this agricultural economic growth and employment creation. Regarding land matters, the NAU currently awaits the tabling of the Land Bill (where both the existing commercial and communal Land Reform Acts are put together). The NAU hopes that the inputs which were given in preparation of the Land Bill, such as inheritance and the right to withdraw property if there is no agreement about a price are indeed included in the final product.
Regarding land tax, it was again confirmed that, due to the drought, exemption for land tax is given for the 2012/2013 financial year. The Ministry of Lands is currently busy working out the technical aspects for a possible credit for 2013/2014. This exemption however is only applicable if land owners have paid their 2012/2013 land tax. Two aspects which influence economic growth in the agricultural sector are bush encroachment and predators. The agricultural sector annually loses millions due to these problems. Apart from the implementation of the National Rangeland Strategy, which the NAU will start next year with the assistance of the European Union (EU) funds to improve the rangeland potential of the country, the Executive Council also decided to approach the government for possible subsidised loans by AgriBank and commercial banks for the combatting of bush encroachments. A joint attempt with government and other role players will be done for the combatting of predators that cause big losses to small- and large stock farmers.