Staff Reporter
PERSISTENT network connectivity challenges are increasingly affecting Namibia’s agricultural sector, with the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU) raising concerns over deteriorating services and their impact on farming operations, rural businesses and communities.
The NAU recently formally engaged Namibia’s largest mobile and internet service provider, MTC Namibia, highlighting widespread network disruptions across the country.
In a letter addressed to MTC Managing Director Dr Licky Erastus, the union added that issues such as frequent call failures, dropped connections and calls connecting without audio have become common, creating serious communication barriers.
While such disruptions may be a minor inconvenience in urban areas, the NAU stressed that reliable telecommunications are critical infrastructure in rural Namibia. Effective connectivity supports essential functions, including coordinating farming activities, managing logistics, processing transactions and responding to emergencies.
The union warned that ongoing instability is not only disruptive but increasingly unsustainable for an industry that relies on consistent and efficient communication.
Given the scale of the problem, the NAU has requested clarity from MTC on the root causes of the network issues, the measures being implemented to address them, and realistic timelines for service stabilisation.
The organisation also called for closer collaboration, noting that it is well-positioned to provide structured, ground-level feedback from farmers and rural communities to help identify priority areas and improve service delivery.
Further engagement between the NAU and MTC has been proposed to explore practical solutions and strengthen communication channels.
The matter has also been escalated to regional leadership, underscoring the broader economic implications of unreliable connectivity in key farming areas. The NAU emphasised that stable telecommunications are essential for sustaining agricultural production and supporting rural economic resilience.
Picture for illustrative purposes only. Photo: Contributed
