The Ministry of Agriculture says it has referred the Agronomic Producers Associations (APA) to participate in upcoming Request For Proposals (RFP) after it approached the ministry seeking long term leaseholds for idle green schemes.
Agriculture minister Calle Schlettwein said his ministry had engaged the grouping with the aim of mitigating the possible shortage of wheat later this year and next year due to the on-going war in Ukraine, amid fears of a food crisis developing in the short term.
“It was understood that the proposal would bridge the current winter crop season and assist us to get a wheat harvest this year and therefore, we proceeded with that understanding to discuss and determine possible conditions aimed at local participation, among others,†he said
Schlettwein said upon further engagement, it was discovered that the grouping was looking to secure a longer lease and also leasehold of several green schemes.
“ A leasehold of that nature is not possible without a proper bidding process according to the national lease procedures and , therefore, the Ministry advised the Association to rather participate in responding to our Request For Proposals (RFP) for leaseholds of green-schemes for terms long enough to get returns on the respective investment , which will be published in batches as from the end of May 2022,†the minister said, adding the ministry will now proceed in cooperation with green scheme managers where possible to facilitate the planning of wheat.
The latest APA interest comes as the government is moving ahead to outsource some of the projects to the private sector.
The development comes as incessant challenges at the Agricultural Business Development Agency (AgriBusDev) has seen Cabinet approving the cancellation of the memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Agriculture and the government owned entity established in 2011 to monitor and create an ideal environment for achieving the objectives of the green schemes, as defined by the green scheme policy of 2008.
Schlettwein in November last year revealed that the government was exploring Public Private Partnerships for the development and operation of Green Schemes especially the commercial components thereof including through Venture Capital Funding and other funding avenues that may be available.
The targeted schemes being Zone irrigation project in Kavango West Region, Tandjieskoppe Irrigation Project in //Kharas Region and Katima- Liselo Irrigation Project in Zambezi Region.
