The country’s agricultural producers are set for a boost in both local and international markets, as the Namibian Agronomic Board (NAB) has secured accreditation from the Southern African Development Community Accreditation Service (SADCAS).
NAB’s accreditation by SADCAS positions it as a globally recognised inspection body for agricultural produce and will enable Namibian agricultural produce to leverage credibility in the international market space.
“NAB has been accredited by the Southern African Development Community Accreditation Services (SADCAS) for its inspection body on the scope of inspection of agronomic and agricultural products. NAB has been granted a unique accreditation number INSP15002, indicating that NAB is an internationally recognised inspection body,” SADCAS CEO Eve Gadzikwa said.
“As of the 31st of May 2024, there were 35 accreditation facilities in Namibia, including the Namibian Agronomic Board, this is a testimony that Namibia has embraced accreditation as a business tool to underpin competency, impartiality on conformity assessment policy.”
The NAB plays a pivotal role in global trade, agricultural produce standard setting, promotion and the inspection of exports.
“The NAB is mandated to promote the agronomic industry sector, and also to facilitate production, processing, storage and marketing of controlled agricultural and horticulture products in Namibia through market regulation,” Gadzikwa said.
Moreover, the accreditation of an internationally recognised inspection body will improve the quality assurance of products that are imported and exported by Namibia resulting in the economic viability of the country’s imports and exports.
“Accreditation serves a pivotal role in supporting global trade by removing the technical barriers to trade, quality infrastructure provides business access to a wider international market place, as well as improving the quality and safety of imports,” she said.
The NAB CEO, Fidelis Mwazi, emphasised developing grassroots interventions for compliance among local agricultural farmers to align with global standards, aiming to facilitate international trade.
“We also developed Namibia’s Food Control System, which allows us to look at the different aspects of imports, exports and local produce in transit. Out of this, we have developed a technical resolution, which we submitted to the government for gazetting,” Mwazi said.
NAB is entrusted with regulating and promoting Namibia’s agronomic industry and plays a crucial role in setting standards, promoting production and inspecting agricultural exports.
