KATWITWI - Kavango West governor Sirkka Ausiku said farmers must start thinking of innovative ways to farm to mitigate the effects of climate change and the drought that the country is experiencing.

The governor is encouraging farmers to move
from being wholly-dependent on rain for crop production and move towards irrigation farming, especially those with access to perennial water resources.

“With the challenge of climate change and the drought we are experiencing, this should be a reminder to all of us and all relevant stakeholder structures to redirect our resources and investments into agriculture, as it remains the only sector which can improve and grow our GDP,’’ said Ausiku in a statement read on her behalf by Mpunfu constituency councillor Titus Shiudifonya during the commissioning of the expanded Agro-Marketing and Trade Agency (AMTA) milling machine at the Katwitwi settlement along the Namibia-Angola border in the Kavango West region on Thursday. “All small-scale farmers along the river should engage in irrigation farming by producing more maize, mahangu and other horticultural products. At the same time, I am appealing to AMTA and the Namibian Agronomic Board (NAB) to create a market where farmers can sell their products. I would like to express my appreciation to AMTA for having identified the Kavango West region as a priority and partner in responding to government goals and objectives,” she said. Ausiku further stated that the commissioning event presented an exciting opportunity to collectively address and respond to the needs of the region’s
grain farmers and the entire nation. 

“Not so long ago, in 2021, AMTA responded positively to the request from the region and committed to collaborate with the region. To that effect, the Katwitwi milling plant was born to address food security, and to serve the Namibian people with milled/flour products from our locally-sourced grain; a product that has sailed successfully under the Golden Fresh brand,’’ she continued.

The governor highlighted that the AMTA
 Katwitwi Milling Plant has tremendously grown
into a preferred centre not only for Namibians, but also for neighbouring Angola.  

“As the regional government, we wish to applaud the agency on its continued urge to serve the Namibian people. I urge the NAB to join the region as a key stakeholder in promoting more agro-processing facilities in the region. By doing that, the region
will become a food basket, and feed Namibia and beyond,’’ she enthused. This facility has supported quite a substantial number of farmers in the region and neighbouring regions. Furthermore, the expansion of this facility will be of benefit not only to the residents of the region, but the entire country. 

The facility embraces the principle of supporting locals, and giving back to the community by employing individuals from the surrounding community.

After being established in 2013 through a Cabinet decision as a specialised agency of the agriculture ministry, the government constructed National Fresh Produce Business Hubs and National Strategic Food Reserves’ facilities to coordinate and manage the marketing and trading of agricultural produce to Namibians and beyond the borders to promote food security both at household and national levels.

In 2019, AMTA was then classified as a commercial entity under the Ministry of Finance and Public Enterprises. This meant AMTA had to revisit its plans and resources to ensure it fits and applies strategies of commercialisation for self-sustainability. 

For the past years of operation, AMTA has been managing the three Fresh Produce Business Hubs and five Silos across the country. 

“However, noting the transitioning of the agency into a fully commercialised entity, AMTA saw the need to expand on its services and product offering, such that it adds value to the grain products procured locally, as opposed to just reserving and releasing when necessary. It was through this that AMTA in 2021 launched a milling facility here in Katwitwi, Kavango West region, to serve the north-western parts of Namibia and OMAs at large with milled products (white maize meal and mahangu flour),’’ said Rosemary Shippiki, the vice-chairperson of the AMTA board of directors. 

She added: “This initiative has tremendously grown over the two years, such that the market has grown and not only serves the Namibian people, but also serves our neighbouring market in Angola”.

Shippiki said the expansion will allow AMTA as an entity to respond to the needs of grain farmers, as well as preserve the quality of grain and grain products effectively and efficiently in times of release and supply to various stakeholders and customers. 

 “As AMTA, we are pleased to partner with stakeholders in the region so that we can intensify and realise our mandate as per governmental set goals and objectives to address issues of food insecurity, poverty, hunger, income inequality and overall economic growth for all Namibians,’’ she observedd.

-jmuyamba@nepc.com.na