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28 July 2010

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WINDHOEK – The unavailability of agricultural technology in Namibia is a constraint for many farmers, especially those in the northern communal areas.

Needed equipment or machinery cannot be repaired easily, and finding parts of broken machinery is not easy either.

Sometimes, mechanics from as far as Windhoek or outside the country have to be brought in to deliver such services at great cost and time.

“You need technology to put land under production and that is one thing Namibia does not have available locally, immediately,” said the Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry, Anna Shiwedha.

She said there is need to increase the country’s agricultural productivity. Thus, the ministry wants to bring services closer to the farmer.

In addition, according to Shiwedha, technology that can assist to overcome climate change is also urgently needed.

“We are used to have our rainfall in September, but now it comes in December, so the production period is shortened, and to put the land under production, you need technology, equipment, tractors and irrigation equipment in a very short period of time. Before we had three months to cultivate, now you have only two months, so you really need equipment that can assist you to put the land under production at very, very short notice,” the deputy PS said.

The ministry is not only looking at machinery to cultivate, but is also looking at other techno-logy for sectors such as dairy production.

“Nowadays milk cows are not roaming around anymore, but are put under roof and fed there and you need certain equipment to do that. You need technology to put up storage facilities, technology to process products and add value,” Shiwedha added.

She noted that agri-technology on its own is a big investment opportunity for investors, as most if not all, technology that is used for agricultural activities is imported.

“We may have agents or suppliers locally, selling equipment but it is not made here.
That’s why we as government say we want to put up technology centres but as a government we want to put that as a last resort.

Government is thus calling upon the private sector to put up technology centres, so that farmers can easily access them if a machine is broken, or when they need spare parts.

“You don’t need to lose time to import them from other countries, like South Africa or even further away. And that is an investment opportunity that can be explored,” Shiwedha emphasised.

“If an investor comes and feels that we have the best investment climate and he can put up a facility here to assemble tractors or any other equipment, this is most welcome. This is what we are selling at the conference” she said.

The ministry is planning an agricultural investment conference in mid-September.

The conference’s objective is to bring together farmers, traders in agricultural products, policymakers, manufacturers of technology and agricultural inputs and financing agencies, with the view to attract investment into the sector.

“We want to look at every technology that is utilised in the agricultural sector,” Shiwedha said. Needed equipment includes tractors, trailers, disc harrows, wheat planters, chisel ploughs, combine harvesters, pick-up trucks, slashers and mowers, amongst others.

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