Agriculture the backbone of Namibia’s economy
AGRICULTURE can rightfully be described as Namibia’s economic and social heart beat. Although its contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is relatively small compared to that of mining and tourism, about 70% of Namibia’s population is directly or indirectly dependent on agriculture for their livelihoods.
Mr. Andrew Ndishishi, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry (MAWF), says his Ministry’s main objective since independence was to create an enabling environment for the development, management and sustainable utilisation of agriculture, water and forestry resources.
“In doing so the MAWF applies modern techniques, science and technology to enhance the agro-industry, livestock production, horticulture as well as the marketing and the storage of agricultural products. Furthermore the Ministry provides veterinary services to ensure animal and public health and to comply with the requirements for national and international trade in agricultural commodities,” Ndishishi says.As far as plant production is concerned, Namibia made huge progress over the past two decades.
“At the moment we produce 50% of all the cereals consumed locally. Furthermore the local production and marketing of fruit and vegetables and other horticultural produce increased to about 30% of the local demand. The ultimate aim is to replace most of the imported products with local production,” says the PS.
The Green Scheme is an initiative conducted by the MAWF to encourage the development of irrigation-based agronomic production with the aim of increasing the contribution of agriculture to the country’s GDP and to simultaneously uplift and develop communities located within suitable irrigation areas. Namibia’s climate is marginally suited to dry-land crop production, with the exception of areas in the north and north-eastern regions.
Only 2% of the country’s total surface area is regarded as arable, whereas about 46% is seen as suitable for permanent pasture, 22% is forest and the rest arid. Irrigation is possible only along the perennial rivers (on the northern and southern borders) and where dams feed irrigation schemes. Although substantial production in staple food takes place, Namibia is still dependent on food imports to address its food insecurity.The primary significance of the agricultural sector lies in its contribution to the livelihoods of rural communities. Namibia has dual agricultural farming systems. The communal farming sector comprises 41% of agricultural arable land, whilst the commercial farming sector occupies about 44% of the agriculturally usable land. The 4 000 families on these farms employ about 70 000 families in commercial production.
The commercial sub-sector contributes about 65% of the agricultural output of Namibia. Cattle farming are concentrated in central and northern Namibia, while the southern parts of the country are used for sheep and goat farming. Because Namibia’s cattle are bred and reared extensively in the country and live entirely off savannah grasses and shrubs, Namibian beef is entirely free from harmful residues, hormones and antibiotics.
Namibia is widely regarded as one of the best sources of beef in the world. About 80% of all livestock, meat and meat products are exported, mostly to South Africa and Europe. According to Ndishishi, Namibia also wants to enter markets in the Middle East, China en the United States of America. The livestock sub-sector is the single largest contributor from agriculture to the GDP through the export of beef and mutton – more or less 88% of the 10% that this sector adds to the national income.
With the exception of cattle weaners, more than 95% of cattle and sheep are slaughtered at the five local export abattoirs. White maize is produced mainly under dry-land conditions in the maize triangle situated between Tsumeb, Otavi, and Grootfontein, in the Summerdown area and in the Omaheke and Caprivi regions. The most important irrigation schemes contributing to domestic white maize production are the Hardap Irrigation Project, the Naute project near Keetmanshoop, Etunda in the North Central regions, the flood plains in the Caprivi and irrigation schemes in the Kavango. According to Ndishishi 9 000 ha of agricultural land is under irrigation.
“The aim is to increase it to 27 000 ha within the next few years.”
A total of over 7 000 ha of white maize is currently planted in the commercial dry-land production areas. About 30% of mahangu (pearl millet) production is officially marketed; the rest is consumed at household level or kept for household consumption. Fruit production has also taken off, especially in southern Namibia at Aussenkehr on the northern banks of the Orange River, primarily for the production of table grapes.
Augmented by exceptionally long hours of sunshine, Namibia can produce grapes earlier in the season than South Africa, which gives significant price advantages in foreign markets. There are a total of nine grape-producing companies in the Aussenkehr valley. The Namibia Grape Company (Pty) Ltd was established in 1999 by an empowerment group to promote the production and marketing of table grapes for export purposes.
These are supplied to Northern-Hemisphere markets such as the UK, while some is shipped to the Far East. A wide selection of vegetables is grown at irrigation sites at amongst others Etunda, Olushandja, Lake Oshikoto and Guinas, Omaruru, Stampriet, Hardap, Okahandja and the Orange River. Namibia’s climate is ideally suited for the production of olives.
Today there are about 20 producers, and a total of about 20 000 trees. The biggest producer is Heiser’s Oliven, which produces green as well as the soft Calamata-style black olives, and also olive oil and olive paste.
Dates are currently being produced at three locations: Khorixas in Kunene South, Aussenkehr on the Orange River and the Naute Dam near Keetmanshoop. The dates produced at Naute are sought after because of their exceptional quality and because they measure up to strict international marketi ng standards.
Mr. Andrew Ndishishi, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry (MAWF), says his Ministry’s main objective since independence was to create an enabling environment for the development, management and sustainable utilisation of agriculture, water and forestry resources.
“In doing so the MAWF applies modern techniques, science and technology to enhance the agro-industry, livestock production, horticulture as well as the marketing and the storage of agricultural products. Furthermore the Ministry provides veterinary services to ensure animal and public health and to comply with the requirements for national and international trade in agricultural commodities,” Ndishishi says.As far as plant production is concerned, Namibia made huge progress over the past two decades.
“At the moment we produce 50% of all the cereals consumed locally. Furthermore the local production and marketing of fruit and vegetables and other horticultural produce increased to about 30% of the local demand. The ultimate aim is to replace most of the imported products with local production,” says the PS.
The Green Scheme is an initiative conducted by the MAWF to encourage the development of irrigation-based agronomic production with the aim of increasing the contribution of agriculture to the country’s GDP and to simultaneously uplift and develop communities located within suitable irrigation areas. Namibia’s climate is marginally suited to dry-land crop production, with the exception of areas in the north and north-eastern regions.
Only 2% of the country’s total surface area is regarded as arable, whereas about 46% is seen as suitable for permanent pasture, 22% is forest and the rest arid. Irrigation is possible only along the perennial rivers (on the northern and southern borders) and where dams feed irrigation schemes. Although substantial production in staple food takes place, Namibia is still dependent on food imports to address its food insecurity.The primary significance of the agricultural sector lies in its contribution to the livelihoods of rural communities. Namibia has dual agricultural farming systems. The communal farming sector comprises 41% of agricultural arable land, whilst the commercial farming sector occupies about 44% of the agriculturally usable land. The 4 000 families on these farms employ about 70 000 families in commercial production.
The commercial sub-sector contributes about 65% of the agricultural output of Namibia. Cattle farming are concentrated in central and northern Namibia, while the southern parts of the country are used for sheep and goat farming. Because Namibia’s cattle are bred and reared extensively in the country and live entirely off savannah grasses and shrubs, Namibian beef is entirely free from harmful residues, hormones and antibiotics.
Namibia is widely regarded as one of the best sources of beef in the world. About 80% of all livestock, meat and meat products are exported, mostly to South Africa and Europe. According to Ndishishi, Namibia also wants to enter markets in the Middle East, China en the United States of America. The livestock sub-sector is the single largest contributor from agriculture to the GDP through the export of beef and mutton – more or less 88% of the 10% that this sector adds to the national income.
With the exception of cattle weaners, more than 95% of cattle and sheep are slaughtered at the five local export abattoirs. White maize is produced mainly under dry-land conditions in the maize triangle situated between Tsumeb, Otavi, and Grootfontein, in the Summerdown area and in the Omaheke and Caprivi regions. The most important irrigation schemes contributing to domestic white maize production are the Hardap Irrigation Project, the Naute project near Keetmanshoop, Etunda in the North Central regions, the flood plains in the Caprivi and irrigation schemes in the Kavango. According to Ndishishi 9 000 ha of agricultural land is under irrigation.
“The aim is to increase it to 27 000 ha within the next few years.”
A total of over 7 000 ha of white maize is currently planted in the commercial dry-land production areas. About 30% of mahangu (pearl millet) production is officially marketed; the rest is consumed at household level or kept for household consumption. Fruit production has also taken off, especially in southern Namibia at Aussenkehr on the northern banks of the Orange River, primarily for the production of table grapes.
Augmented by exceptionally long hours of sunshine, Namibia can produce grapes earlier in the season than South Africa, which gives significant price advantages in foreign markets. There are a total of nine grape-producing companies in the Aussenkehr valley. The Namibia Grape Company (Pty) Ltd was established in 1999 by an empowerment group to promote the production and marketing of table grapes for export purposes.
These are supplied to Northern-Hemisphere markets such as the UK, while some is shipped to the Far East. A wide selection of vegetables is grown at irrigation sites at amongst others Etunda, Olushandja, Lake Oshikoto and Guinas, Omaruru, Stampriet, Hardap, Okahandja and the Orange River. Namibia’s climate is ideally suited for the production of olives.
Today there are about 20 producers, and a total of about 20 000 trees. The biggest producer is Heiser’s Oliven, which produces green as well as the soft Calamata-style black olives, and also olive oil and olive paste.
Dates are currently being produced at three locations: Khorixas in Kunene South, Aussenkehr on the Orange River and the Naute Dam near Keetmanshoop. The dates produced at Naute are sought after because of their exceptional quality and because they measure up to strict international marketi ng standards.
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