Agriculture, Water and Land Reform Minister Calle Schlettwein has called for urgent agricultural diversification and increased government support to shield the sector from worsening drought conditions.
Speaking at a recent event, Schlettwein warned that Namibia’s heavy reliance on cattle and sheep farming is leaving the sector vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, which is resulting in increasingly unpredictable rainfall patterns.
“On the resilience side, we believe that we must diversify better on existing farms. So we must not only have one leg we stand on that is extensive farming of cattle or sheep,” he said.
He advocates for a shift towards a more balanced approach that incorporates fauna production and intensive farming techniques to mitigate the risks associated with dry land farming.
To support farmers in this transition, the Minister called for targeted subsidies to assist those unable to engage in crop production.
These subsidies would be allocated towards initiatives such as fauna storage to enhance resilience and prevent significant losses during drought periods.
“I believe that that is only possible if we put substantial financial resources into the sector. The sector needs subsidies, farmers need subsidies to solve that problem. We cannot say that agriculture is the mainstay of the economy and then under-invest in it,” he said.
The Minister also highlighted the critical issue of market access for Namibian agricultural products. While acknowledging progress in the beef and sheep sectors, he emphasised the need for consistent supply to meet market demands.
To address this challenge, he said that the government is working to improve resilience against drought through substantial financial investments in the sector.
Schlettwein further stressed the importance of conducting thorough environmental impact assessments before allowing mining operations to proceed, particularly in areas with significant groundwater reserves.
He highlighted the government’s collaboration with UNESCO to acquire the necessary data and expertise to make informed decisions on water resource management.
“There is a possibility that we can mine in the aquifer where there are mineral deposits. So we are not against the development of these economic possibilities. But we must make sure that they don’t put in jeopardy a principal enabler for life at all,” he said.
