Aminuis bets on salt to create youth jobs

A natural salt pan in Aminuis could become the foundation of a new rural industry, with the constituency leadership believing the resource has the potential to create hundreds of jobs.

Aminuis constituency councillor Isando Kavari told Namibian Sun yesterday that the area’s salt deposits, traditionally harvested by local residents for livestock use, represent an untapped economic opportunity that could benefit the community if investment and proper equipment are secured.

Kavari estimates that a commercial harvesting operation could create employment opportunities for between 200 and 300 young people, allowing them to participate in the collection and processing of the salt.

“We like to say this is our sea. This is a salt pan. Natural resources are among here,” Kavari said during a visit to the site.

He said the salt naturally forms around August and September after windy conditions separate the mineral from the clay. Residents currently collect the resource manually and use it mainly as a supplement for livestock.

He believes the opportunity could go beyond agriculture, saying the salt could potentially be explored for commercial purposes, including human consumption, while the surrounding clay could be used for construction activities.

Salt of the earth

Namibia already has a major commercial salt industry along its coastline, highlighting the potential value of salt as an economic resource.

At Walvis Bay, Walvis Bay Salt Holdings operates one of the largest solar sea salt operations in sub-Saharan Africa. The company produces more than one million tonnes of salt annually and operates across approximately 5 000 hectares of evaporation ponds.

However, unlike the coastal operations that rely on large-scale infrastructure and established markets, Aminuis’ salt pan remains largely community-driven and undeveloped.

Kavari believes the area’s potential extends beyond salt production. He said plans are also underway to develop a conservancy around the area, which could combine tourism and natural resources to create additional income opportunities.

He added that the community hopes investors will visit the area and explore possibilities that could turn the salt pan into a source of employment and local economic development.

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