Namibia continues to rely overwhelmingly on imported fruit, with about 97% of domestic consumption sourced from outside the country as high production costs, financing barriers and inadequate infrastructure continue to constrain local horticultural production.
The Namibian Agronomic Board (NAB) says fruit remains the country’s most import-dependent horticultural product, underscoring the need to accelerate investment in domestic production to improve food security and reduce the outflow of foreign currency.
Speaking at an Information Sharing Session on Access to Finance: Opportunities for the Youth, hosted by Khomas Region Governor Sam Nujoma, NAB General Manager for Agronomy and Horticulture Development Gilbert Mate Mulonda said Namibia still imports significantly more agricultural produce than it produces.
According to Mulonda, one of the biggest obstacles facing the sector is the high cost of establishing commercial fruit orchards, which ranges from N$300,000 to N$600,000 per hectare, placing commercial fruit production beyond the reach of many emerging farmers.
He said the sector is further constrained by inadequate agro-processing capacity, limited storage infrastructure and high transport costs, all of which undermine the competitiveness of locally produced crops.
Access to finance also remains a significant hurdle, with financing requirements preventing many farmers from accessing available funding.
“So probably we need to look at the requirements. We need to panel a bit there to make it easier for them to access this finance,” Mulonda said.
To reduce import dependence, the Agronomic Board is implementing targeted support programmes across the potato, fruit and grain value chains.
Potatoes remain another major import burden, with Namibia importing about 70% of its annual requirements at a cost of roughly N$162 million a year.
“So it’s very important that we actually increase the production of potatoes. We are importing around 70% of our potatoes from outside,” Mulonda said.
The Board’s Potato Value Chain Development Scheme offers qualifying small-scale farmers cultivating between 0.5 and two hectares a 50% input subsidy in the first year and 25% in the second year.
Its Fruit Development Scheme supports the establishment of citrus, mango, avocado, banana, pineapple, table grape, blueberry, date and pomegranate orchards through a 30% development subsidy, while also providing input support until the first harvest.
“So apart from that, all our programmes also come with support services, capacity building, mentorship and market access for free,” Mulonda said.
Mulonda added that the Grain Irrigation Support Scheme, also known as the One Farmer One Solar Centre Pivot initiative, is intended to strengthen domestic grain production and improve resilience against recurring droughts.
