STAFF WRITER
The European Union (EU) handed over nine off-road vehicles to the ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform as part of the trading bloc’s contribution to strengthening the livestock value chains in Namibia’s Northern Communal Areas.
EU Ambassador to Namibia Ana Beatriz Martins said these vehicles will help drive Namibia’s Northern Communal Areas toward a more prosperous future.
The vehicles stand for better market access, lower transport costs, improved animal welfare and stronger rural economies,” she said.
She said the eight Land Cruisers and one Hino truck are intended for livestock transport.
“They are equipped with trailers and designed with safety and durability for Namibia’s rugged terrain. Each vehicle is marked with a unique registration number that ensures traceable and clear identification. She added that,”Eight months ago, I stood here to hand over five heavy-duty IVECO Astra trucks worth NAD 20.68 million, as part of the same project. These trucks stand for the EU’s support to the Namibian Government’s NDP6 development priorities in the agriculture sector, and to its commitments to the 2030 Agenda on sustainable agriculture, efficient food systems and resilient communities.”
Martins said for too long, farmers in the Northern Communal Areas have faced structural constraints. “That is why the EU has made the equivalent of N$140 million available to provide a set of tools to help farmers meet top standards in beef production for local and export markets. The project consisted of
several components: (1) Construction of a 1 000-cattle feedlot in Etunda with the aim to fatten and sell livestock for better prices. (2) Transformation of the Opuwo’s slaughterhouse into a modern abattoir, (3) Upgrading of quarantine facilities in Omutambo Maowe to protect herds from disease and keep livestock safe. (4) Construction of fences North of the Veterinary Cordon Fence. The trucks will boost cost efficiency, improve animal welfare, thus achieve higher meat quality for the consumers and better revenue for the farmers,” she said.
National Planning Commissioner Kaire Mbuende said the donation of the vehicles marks another milestone in Namibia’s development cooperation with her partners. “The Livestock Support Programme (LSP), implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform and jointly supported by the European Union (EU) under the eleventh European Development Fund (EDF-11), and the Government of the Republic of Namibia, is a concrete expression of partnership delivering measurable impact,”Mbuende said.
Mbuende added that , “Namibia’s recent reclassification to lower-middle-income status underscores a critical reality: growth alone is insufficient. Without deep structural reform, without value addition, productivity gains, and
broader participation in formal markets, countries risk stagnation within the middle-income trap.”
He said Namibia must move beyond subsistence systems toward integrated, competitive value chains. T
“he communal livestock sector holds immense potential. Yet, for too long, structural bottlenecks, high transport costs, inadequate logistics, and limited market access, have constrained its contribution to national industrialisation and rural prosperity,” he said.
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