Ministry, Unam join forces on agriculture research

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform and the University of Namibia (Unam) have signed an agreement to strengthen research in agriculture, food security, fisheries, water and land reform.

The agreement aims to link university research with government policies and programmes and to find solutions to problems affecting farmers and other sectors under the ministry.

Speaking at the signing on Tuesday, agriculture deputy minister Ruthy Masake said Namibia needs research that provides practical solutions to challenges facing the country.

She said the partnership would focus on research, knowledge sharing, technical expertise and finding solutions that the government can put into practice.

“Research must inform policy, and policy must translate into implementation,” Masake said.

She said the ministry wants Unam researchers to focus on increasing agricultural production and food security, helping farmers adapt to climate change, managing fisheries and aquatic resources, improving water security and supporting land reform and rural development.

The agreement will also strengthen cooperation between Unam researchers and technical officials at the ministry.

“Our expectation is that this partnership will establish a continuous link between research and government action,” said Masake.

Unam vice chancellor Kenneth Matengu says research and technology would be important in improving food production as Namibia faces drought, water shortages and other climate-related challenges.

Last week, the Namibia Meteorological Service warned that El Niño conditions were expected to strengthen from October.

“Innovation is not a luxury. It is a necessity. Namibian farmers do not need encouragement alone. They need concrete solutions for drought, low soil fertility and scarce water,” he said.

Matengu says universities have a role in taking research from laboratories to farms and helping farmers deal with problems on the ground.

Unam is also working on dryland farming methods, including organic soil restoration, agroforestry and drought-tolerant indigenous crops.

He says the university could provide similar support to government green schemes through soil testing, irrigation assessments and identifying suitable crop varieties.

Matengu also highlights fish feed production as an area where university research could help.

Namibia aims to produce about 4 000 tonnes of fish annually, while the country’s fish-feed production capacity stands at about 1 200 tonnes.

“Unam could research local ingredients that could be used to produce fish feed and reduce dependence on imported maize, pearl millet and other inputs,” he says.

Matengu says the university could also train people needed by the growing aquaculture sector, including marine biologists, engineers, environmental specialists and quality-control experts.

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