Namibia’s crop production sector must expand domestic food production, reduce reliance on imports and create more opportunities for local farmers, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform Inge Zaamwani said on Thursday.

Speaking at the 2026 National Agronomy and Horticulture Awards (NAHA) in Omaheke, Zaamwani said strengthening crop farming was essential to building a more resilient agricultural economy capable of supporting food security, employment and economic development.

This year’s winners are Nuwe Hope Project, that pockedt N$240 000, while the second beneficiary is the Skoonheid Community Farm that received N$160 000.

The awards, held under the theme Enhancing resilience in agriculture through crop farming, recognised individuals and organisations contributing to Namibia’s crop production sector.

Zaamwani said agriculture remained central to Namibia’s development ambitions under the Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6), which seeks to transform the sector into a more productive, commercial and technologically advanced industry.

“Government’s position is clear: agriculture must transition from predominantly primary production and subsistence activity into a more productive, commercial, technologically enabled and industrialised sector of our economy,” she said.

Import dependence presents opportunities

Zaamwani highlighted Namibia’s continued reliance on imported food, saying the country still imports a significant share of its maize, wheat, pearl millet, vegetables and fruit.

“During the 2025/26 season, approximately 64% of Namibia’s maize requirements, 87% of wheat and 64% of pearl millet requirements were imported,” she said.

She added that Namibia imported approximately 46% of the vegetables and 96% of the fruit consumed domestically.

The figures highlight both the country’s vulnerability to external supply and the potential market for local producers, Zaamwani said. “These figures demonstrate vulnerability, but they also reveal a substantial domestic market opportunity,” she said.

Increasing domestic production was both a food security priority and an economic imperative, she added, with locally produced goods offering opportunities to retain more income within the country.

The government’s development plans aim to reduce food imports, expand horticultural production, increase agricultural exports and strengthen domestic capacity for agricultural inputs and processing, she said.

Building resilience through innovation

Namibia’s agricultural sector continues to face challenges including erratic rainfall, recurring droughts, water scarcity, rising production costs, pests and climate change.

Despite these difficulties, Zaamwani commended producers for continuing to invest and adapt.

She said building agricultural resilience would require greater investment in irrigation, research, innovation, climate-smart farming and improved market access.

Zaamwani also emphasised the importance of developing integrated agricultural value chains and expanding productive land under commercial and large-scale crop production.

Government policies and institutions must work together to support these objectives and translate development plans into measurable results, she said.

“Our collective efforts must translate into measurable outcomes: more land under productive cultivation, higher yields, reduced losses, greater value addition, stronger local procurement systems and improved incomes for producers,” Zaamwani said.

Opportunities for young people and women

Zaamwani called for greater participation by young people and women in agriculture, saying farming should be recognised as a business, profession and means of economic empowerment.

Technology, research, innovation, logistics, processing and modern agribusiness would increasingly shape the future of the sector, she said.

“Young Namibians must therefore be positioned to seize these opportunities,” she said.

Zaamwani congratulated the nominees and award recipients, encouraging them to mentor emerging producers and share knowledge with the wider agricultural community.

She also recognised farmers and other stakeholders who did not receive awards, saying their contributions remained valuable to the country’s food supply and agricultural resilience.

Awards promote excellence

Zaamwani said the NAHA awards served a purpose beyond recognising achievements by showcasing best practices and encouraging higher standards of productivity, quality, food safety, environmental stewardship and business management.

The achievements of farmers demonstrate to investors, financial institutions and consumers that agriculture can generate sustainable returns and contribute to economic development, she said.

Zaamwani reaffirmed the government’s commitment to working with the Namibian Agronomic Board and other stakeholders to increase production, expand market access and strengthen agricultural value chains.

She said achieving food security would require sustained investment, innovation, discipline and partnership.

“Let these awards renew our commitment to building a crop sector that is resilient in the face of climatic and economic challenges; a sector that rewards innovation, productivity and enterprise; and a sector capable of providing nutritious food, sustainable livelihoods and prosperity for generations to come,” she said.