Staff Reporter
Efforts to transform Namibia’s agri-food sector by 2030 have received a boost with the unveiling of a new strategy aimed at reducing hunger, improving nutrition and empowering young people and women through agriculture.
The Strategy for the Transformation of the Agri-food Sector (STAS) 2025/26–2030/31 identifies food and nutrition security and human capacity development as one of its four strategic pillars, with the goal of creating a healthier population and a skilled agricultural workforce while addressing malnutrition and unemployment.
According to the strategy, malnutrition remains a major challenge in Namibia, contributing to more than 45% of deaths among children under the age of five. It also notes that 24% of children under five are stunted, with Government aiming to reduce the figure to 12% by 2030.
To improve food security and nutrition, the strategy promotes the production and consumption of indigenous foods and bio-fortified staple crops to address deficiencies in nutrients such as iron, vitamin A and zinc.
Government also plans to reduce post-harvest food losses, which currently account for about 33% of domestic food production, through greater investment in agro-processing, cold storage facilities, improved infrastructure and public awareness campaigns on food waste.
The strategy further proposes the expansion of backyard, school and community gardens to improve food availability and affordability, particularly for vulnerable households.
To strengthen food security planning, Government intends to establish a central food and nutrition security database, to be managed by the Office of the Prime Minister in collaboration with the Namibia Statistics Agency.
The strategy also seeks to address the ageing agricultural workforce by encouraging greater youth participation in the sector through modernisation, skills development and improved access to opportunities.
A new Agriculture Technical and Vocational Education and Training (ATVET) programme is proposed to equip young people, particularly those who do not qualify for university, with practical skills across the agricultural value chain.
Government also plans to improve access to seed capital for young agripreneurs, promote mentorship programmes linking young farmers with established agribusinesses, and expand opportunities through leasehold arrangements and contract farming to address limited access to agricultural land.
The strategy further places strong emphasis on empowering women, recognising that although they play a leading role in communal and subsistence farming, many still have limited access to land, finance, mechanisation and agricultural support services.
It proposes improving women’s access to productive assets, promoting labour-saving technologies to reduce physically demanding tasks, and providing targeted training through women’s producer associations to encourage value addition and participation in higher-value agricultural markets.
Overall, the strategy aims to transform agriculture from a traditional low-input, low-output sector into a modern, commercially driven industry capable of attracting skilled young people, creating jobs and strengthening Namibia’s food security.
Photo: Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water & Land Reform
