Agri chamber to address sector’s challenges
War in Ukraine plagues industry
Stakeholders "welcomed the challenge" to build a common agenda and established the chamber as the industry's "apex body".
Agriculture players recently came together to form a chamber aimed to help address issues the sector is currently plagued by.
The Chamber of Agriculture Namibia was formed following the adoption of resolutions undertaken at an agricultural conference held in 2020, its board chairperson Michael Iyambo said.
According to him, challenges plaguing the sector include the Covid-19 pandemic, climate change, the war in Ukraine and its associated effects on supply chain disruptions, food insecurity in the region and the world at large, high commodity and energy prices as well as the overall high cost of living.
He said these issues have "cast a dark shadow on attaining most gains of our hard work over the years as a country". Iyambo was speaking at a breakfast meeting hosted by the chamber last week.
Support a common agenda
"The risk of further inequalities is also real, especially for us as a country with high chances of weather calamities that are experienced frequently. The recent veld fires are our current testimony. It is why the agriculture value-chain stakeholders welcome the challenge of building our common agenda and established the Chamber of Agriculture as an apex body for the agri-sector value chains.”
The environment in which the agricultural sector operates has also undergone drastic change, Iyambo said.
"The operating environment has changed drastically. Hence, major challenges must be faced together in solidarity within the context of revitalising the sector's performance and benefitting the wider population."
All hands on deck
The chamber aims to get young people and women into the agricultural sector, the chairperson said.
"As a country with a low skill set in the sector, the outlook on the sector's future and emphasis on inter-generational equity is so important to us. The chamber seeks to harness this democratic dividend by ensuring with key partners upskilling programmes for interested youth and women for an improved performance in the sector.”
The Chamber of Agriculture Namibia was formed following the adoption of resolutions undertaken at an agricultural conference held in 2020, its board chairperson Michael Iyambo said.
According to him, challenges plaguing the sector include the Covid-19 pandemic, climate change, the war in Ukraine and its associated effects on supply chain disruptions, food insecurity in the region and the world at large, high commodity and energy prices as well as the overall high cost of living.
He said these issues have "cast a dark shadow on attaining most gains of our hard work over the years as a country". Iyambo was speaking at a breakfast meeting hosted by the chamber last week.
Support a common agenda
"The risk of further inequalities is also real, especially for us as a country with high chances of weather calamities that are experienced frequently. The recent veld fires are our current testimony. It is why the agriculture value-chain stakeholders welcome the challenge of building our common agenda and established the Chamber of Agriculture as an apex body for the agri-sector value chains.”
The environment in which the agricultural sector operates has also undergone drastic change, Iyambo said.
"The operating environment has changed drastically. Hence, major challenges must be faced together in solidarity within the context of revitalising the sector's performance and benefitting the wider population."
All hands on deck
The chamber aims to get young people and women into the agricultural sector, the chairperson said.
"As a country with a low skill set in the sector, the outlook on the sector's future and emphasis on inter-generational equity is so important to us. The chamber seeks to harness this democratic dividend by ensuring with key partners upskilling programmes for interested youth and women for an improved performance in the sector.”
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