AfriFoodLinks workshop promotes sustainable urban agriculture

The municipal council of Windhoek on Tuesday opened a week-long city exchange visit and workshop, welcoming 12 delegates from AfriFoodLinks and a consortium of sister cities, including Milan, Chefcheoun, Kisumu and Cape Town, along with various stakeholders from the central government. The week-long engagement is aimed at fostering collaboration and innovation in urban food and nutrition systems.The chairperson of the economic development, public safety and citizen welfare advisory committee, Austin Kwenani, emphasised the significance of the gathering in realising the vision outlined by the late president Geingob. “Today’s engagement is indeed an opportunity to put into action the words of our dearly departed president,” Kwenani said. “Our purpose is to stimulate mutual knowledge exchange and skills-sharing in the field of urban food and nutrition systems improvement, collaboration and innovation. Urban agriculture presents us with unique opportunities to explore how other cities are paving the way towards a greener, more resilient future,” he said.Urban agricultureThe workshop will provide a platform for dialogue, knowledge exchange and skills-sharing in urban agriculture, with a focus on enhancing food security, economic development and environmental sustainability.Kwenani highlighted Windhoek&#039;s pioneering initiatives, particularly the Farm Okukuna project established in 2017.He outlined initiatives such as vertical farming, rooftop gardens and hydroponics to maximise limited space usage. Additionally, the city is promoting community gardens and implementing water-efficient irrigation systems to tackle water scarcity and foster resilience.Voices of the youthThe event also saw the appointment of a University of Namibia student, Kayla Cordom, as the City of Windhoek youth ambassador under the AfriFoodLinks City Exchange programme.“With over 20 youth ambassadors from all over the world under this programme to amplify the voices of the youth, I think the collaboration between youth and wisdom is a powerful force to drive change. I believe the AfriFoodLink project can help the City of Windhoek and other cities all around the world reach heights of becoming caring and sustainable cities,” Cordom said.The workshop, aligned with the national policy for food security and nutrition, advocated for smart partnerships to improve food security and nutrition at the household and community levels. Kwenani commended participants for their dedication to transforming food systems to be more inclusive and accessible.The delegation was also taken on a site visit to the Agro-Marketing and Trade Agency (AMTA) for a better understanding of the local urban agricultural food system.

AfriFoodLinks workshop promotes sustainable urban agriculture

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Namibian Sun 2025-08-04

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AfriFoodLinks workshop promotes sustainable urban agriculture

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Namibian Sun 2025-08-04

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