The World Food Programme (WFP) and the Daures Green Hydrogen Village have signed an agreement to support the production of green hydrogen and ammonia-based fertilizer as a sustainable solution to improve food production at community-based agriculture initiatives to be implemented in partnership with local communities in Namibia.
The agreement is signed at a critical time when fertilizer prices have surged, and climate change has become a growing concern, and the need for sustainable energy solutions for development is receiving global attention.
“This is uncharted waters, however, as partners, we are boldly taking up the challenge, in particular incorporating the community. Just as Green Hydrogen production is harnessing the sun, we need to harness the environment and the people of Namibia to ensure success,” said WFP Country Director, Dr. George Fedha on Tuesday.
The use of green hydrogen and ammonia has several benefits for the agricultural sector, among those being to produce environmentally friendly fertilizers that are essential for crop growth.
“We are very excited to have signed this agreement with an organization such as WFP. The Daures Green Hydrogen Village intends to have portions of the facility operational in 2023 with full commissioning in Q1 2024. The Pilot is supported and funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research and The Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management (SASSCAL),” said Jerome Namaseb, Chief Executive Officer of the Daures Green Hydrogen Village.
“The business also has its sights set on producing fertilizer locally at a competitive price during its pilot phase next year. This fertilizer production, together with the production of agricultural produce, makes the synergy between the Daures Green Hydrogen Village and the WFP clear.”
The WFP-Daures agreement is expected to boost the development of an economically sustainable community food production project for the most vulnerable communities in the Daures constituency and Tsiseb conservancy.
This initiative will promote sustainable agriculture practices that provide fresh produce to communities and create job opportunities.
Compared to traditional fertilizers, green hydrogen and ammonia-based fertilizers have a lower carbon footprint and can help farmers reduce their environmental impact.
At present, the Namibian horticulture and agronomy sector is facing various challenges related to the availability and affordability of inputs for agricultural production.
Amongst these challenges, fertilizers remain a significant concern for farmers as the prices continue to rise. The country heavily relies on imported fertilizers, which poses further challenges to the industry.
