TSUMKWE – Deputy Prime Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has called upon the San community in Tsumkwe to reject the marginalised tag.
The leader said such a label is disempowering them, as they continue to pity themselves hoping that someone will come to their aid.
“You must get out of self-pity and take the challenge on what is around you. Among others, send your children to school, go for literacy classes, look for a job, have your own field, the list is long,” she persuaded.
Nandi-Ndaitwah, who is also the international relations minister, made the remarks while launching
a community project funded by the Brazilian government
in collaboration with the World Foof Programme (WFP) at Tsumkwe in the Otjozondjupa region on Sunday.
The aim of the project is to strengthen existing community health structures in order to enhance demand for diverse food baskets and addressing nutritional requirements for the local clinic, school feeding and local community.
Brazil has committed an amount of N$1.4 million to be used at different sites in Namibia as a start up for the integrated community-based food system project.
“I have seen many projects being developed and executed all over the world, I know what has worked and what has failed,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said.
She strongly believes with clear guidance, vision and the right attitude, Namibia can move from a net importer of food to an exporter.
“That is possible once we grow our economy to take up the available national labour force, and I believe agriculture will make a significant contribution to the growth of our economy,” she stressed.
Nandi-Ndaitwah also added with the assistance of the World Food Programme and Brazil, Namibia could emulate Brazil’s good experience and achieve food security.
On his part, WFP country representative George Fedha said the Tsumkwe project is the beginning of a journey that will take them from a vegetable production effort to an integrated solution of a food system effort that gathers all the elements of the environment, people, inputs, processes, infrastructure
and institutions.
He said the activities that relate to the production, processing, distribution, preparation and consumption
of food, and the outputs of these activities will contribute to socioeconomic and environmental outcomes of not only Tsumkwe community but also at the national level.
“So, to the people of Tsumkwe, we will walk this journey with you, it is not going to be simple or short, but our spirit to eliminate stunting and malnutrition and attain a sustainable food system will keep us going,” said the UN diplomat.
The event was also attended by Brazil embassy’s counsellor Antonio Carlos Franca, chairperson of the Otjozondjupa Regional Council Marlyn Mbakera, Tsumkwe constituency councillor Johannes Hausiku, Ju/hoansi Traditional Authority Chief Tsamkxao #Oma and a small number of community members.
– ktjitemisa@nepc.com.na