Calle unfazed by Naloba demands

Agriculture minister Calle Schlettwein yesterday said government will go ahead with offering the opportunity to run green schemes to both local and international investors.He was reacting to the Namibia Local Business Association (Naloba), which demanded that the opportunity be opened to Namibians only, adding that there is sufficient capacity locally.Schlettwein, while addressing the Namibia investment summit in Dubai last week, announced that requests for proposals will be published and all investors – local and international – are welcome to participate.He further confirmed that the state will in June issue a request for proposals to lease out 11 green schemes.The minister reiterated this stance yesterday during an interview with Namibian Sun.“Agriculture needs significant investments to achieve much-needed reforms, from extensive rain-fed agriculture to an intensive irrigation agriculture. That needs significant investment, technology and skills development, which we have to source locally and internationally,” he said.“The respective terms for leases of green schemes are being developed and consultations with local communities forms an important part of the process.”Schlettwein said they are acutely aware that many green schemes are located in communal areas and that their development and operations must bring about economic opportunities for local farmers and communities.“Food production on the green schemes is pivotal in our quest to reach levels of self-sufficiency in staple foods (cereals and grain) and some fruits and horticultural products,” he said.He added that investment opportunities abound in both green scheme and brown scheme projects, for which land is already secured. The schemes encourage development of irrigated agronomic production with a target of approximately 9 000 hectares.Strongly condemnedAt a press conference held at Ongwediva on Tuesday, Naloba president Erastus ‘Chicco’ Shapumba urged government to realise that real and permanent investors in the country’s economy are local businessmen and -women.Government has denied that it was plotting foreigners for agricultural projects, saying the process to secure partners for the green schemes will be open to Namibians too.Shapumba said: "The decision should be taken in favour of Namibians, and not in the interests of leaders only".Naloba, which met government leaders including President Hage Geingob three weeks after it was launched, said it “strongly” condemned government’s decision to allow foreigners the opportunity to run green schemes.When it met Geingob, Prime Minister Saara Kuugogwelwa-Amadhila and Vice President Nangolo Mbumba at State House recently, Naloba said government should only seek foreign investors in areas where Namibians do not have capacity.Shapumba added that leaders should not decide on behalf of the masses without considering their benefits.We can do itNaloba vice-president Peter Amadhila said business investment opportunities should be given to Namibians to operate the schemes themselves.He stressed that while they are not against foreign investors, they cannot allow them to come into the country to set up businesses Namibians can do with ease.“We cannot afford to have our green schemes to be operated by foreigners or international investors while Namibians have the capacity and capability to run and operate the schemes productively, profitably and sustainably. Where external capacity is required, let the local business community self-source from outside at our terms and conditions,” he said.Amadhila said besides their capabilities, foreigners are often out to milk Namibians and exploit them at the same time by paying very low wages.– tuyeimo@namibiansun.com

Calle unfazed by Naloba demands

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Namibian Sun 2025-12-16

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Calle unfazed by Naloba demands

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Namibian Sun 2025-12-16

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