Namibia, Zimbabwe strengthen agriculture and trade ties

Zimbabwe and Namibia are looking to strengthen cooperation in agriculture as both countries push for increased production, value addition and regional trade.

Agriculture was a focus of discussions during the Zimbabwe-Namibia Trade Mission, where officials highlighted opportunities for businesses to expand exports, improve food production, and invest in agro-processing.

Presenting Zimbabwe’s export opportunities, ZimTrade Southern region Manager Jacqueline Nyathi said agriculture remains the backbone of Zimbabwe’s economy and continues to support the country’s growing agro-processing industry.

“We have a climate that allows us to be highly productive in terms of agriculture, and agriculture being a backbone of our economy, you will note that there is quite a lot of agro-processing that is taking place,” she said. Nyathi said Zimbabwe is working to connect exporters with buyers, distributors and business partners across the region while helping businesses understand the markets they want to serve.

She said the Zimbabwe-Namibia Bilateral Commission remains important in removing trade barriers and promoting investment between the two countries.

“The two countries also have the bilateral commission, which is critical because it allows us to discuss issues that are key to driving trade and investment between our two countries. It is key to ensuring that we are facilitating trade between the two countries, ensuring that our markets are open, allowing trade to happen,” she said. Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Agro-Marketing and Trade Agency (AMTA) Alfeus Siyamba said Namibia is steadily increasing local food production through mechanisation, government support programmes and investment in agriculture.

He said the country currently has a national strategic food reserve capacity of about 22 900 metric tonnes, reflecting growing production capacity.

“What that also represents is really talking to the capacity of Namibia in terms of production. We have been improving a lot of intervention schemes, a lot of mechanisation and subsidisation to support the production of white maize as well as pearl millet, and this year we have hit at least 64%, so we are improving, and constantly we are growing,” Siyamba said. His remarks come as President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has called for greater investment in agriculture and agro-processing to help Namibia produce more food, create jobs and add value to agricultural products before they are exported. Speaking in New York during meetings on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, the President said Namibia wants to strengthen food production and processing instead of exporting mainly raw products.

*-pmukokobi@nepc.com.na *

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