A new N$80 million cattle feedlot has officially broken ground at the Etunda Irrigation Scheme in the Omusati Region.
The facility, which will hold up to 1,000 cattle, forms part of the EU-Namibia Livestock Support Programme aimed at boosting livestock production in the Northern Communal Areas (NCAs).
Chargé d’Affaires of the EU Delegation to Namibia, Ian Dupont, said the project is part of a wider N$400 million support package jointly funded by the European Union and the Namibian government.
“The feedlot for which we are breaking ground today is valued at almost NAD 80 million, and is part of a broader NAD 400 million support package to the livestock sector in the Northern Communal Areas,” Dupont said.
He added that the broader package includes upgrades to abattoirs in Opuwo, quarantine and veterinary facilities in Omusati, Kavango West and Zambezi, and the construction of an Artificial Insemination Centre in Oshikoto.
The EU has also provided five 30-ton trucks to the Ministry of Agriculture, with nine more expected.
“Together with Namibia’s agriculture ministry, we support these strategic infrastructures across the NCA in order to enhance livestock productivity, strengthen farmers’ adaptation to climate change, and improve access for farmers in the Northern Communal Areas to both local, regional and international markets through the Commodity-Based Trade (CBT),” he said.
Director of the National Planning Commission, Kaire Mbuende, said the feedlot will serve as an important off-take point for communal farmers and improve food security.
“The benefits brought about by this project—namely the introduction of feedlots—enhance the agricultural value chains, which are strategic imperatives for value addition in livestock,” said Mbuende.
He added that the project will support sustainable farming, reduce poverty and drive economic growth in the region.
