Northern governors urge youth to invest in agriculture
“We should defeat the notion of being consumers but not producers, and stop relying on imported food for our consumption,” the governor said.
TUYEIMO HAIDULA
OSHAKATI
The regional governors of Omusati and Oshana have urged young people to treat agriculture as a lucrative business and not just a hobby, and focus on reviving the economy which has been left limping by Covid-19.
Erginus Endjala of Omusati and Elia Irimari of Oshana made these remarks in their recent state of the region addresses, saying the effects of Covid-19 have also created business opportunities.
Endjala said food security has dropped drastically, while food prices have increased.
“By treating agriculture as a business, we will improve in food self-sustenance. We should defeat the notion of being consumers but not producers, and stop relying on imported food for our consumption,” he said.
Unlock opportunities
Endjala said it is his wish to formalise the informal market to enable it to enter into the national procurement system.
“Equally, I urge our local financial institutions to be innovative through unlocking agricultural potential in our region, especially in manufacturing and agro-processing areas that have the potential to create job opportunities for our youth,” he stressed.
Irimari said efforts towards economic transformation and industrialisation are focused on cushioning and supporting businesses to survive the negative impact of Covid-19.
He said the ministry of trade has registered 484 new businesses, of which 421 were close corporations and 63 were sole proprietorships.
Irimari said the same ministry also financed the production of 42 393 fabric facemasks at a cost of N$847 860 in the region.
"The masks were developed by local small- and medium-sized enterprises [SMEs] and donated to the pensioners and vulnerable people in the region," he said.
Irimari pointed out that the pandemic did not spare any sector of the economy.
Informal traders were also adversely affected and challenged to maintain the required hygiene standards.
He added that all these resilient strategies are commendable and have been implemented to make it easier to do business in Namibia.
- [email protected]
OSHAKATI
The regional governors of Omusati and Oshana have urged young people to treat agriculture as a lucrative business and not just a hobby, and focus on reviving the economy which has been left limping by Covid-19.
Erginus Endjala of Omusati and Elia Irimari of Oshana made these remarks in their recent state of the region addresses, saying the effects of Covid-19 have also created business opportunities.
Endjala said food security has dropped drastically, while food prices have increased.
“By treating agriculture as a business, we will improve in food self-sustenance. We should defeat the notion of being consumers but not producers, and stop relying on imported food for our consumption,” he said.
Unlock opportunities
Endjala said it is his wish to formalise the informal market to enable it to enter into the national procurement system.
“Equally, I urge our local financial institutions to be innovative through unlocking agricultural potential in our region, especially in manufacturing and agro-processing areas that have the potential to create job opportunities for our youth,” he stressed.
Irimari said efforts towards economic transformation and industrialisation are focused on cushioning and supporting businesses to survive the negative impact of Covid-19.
He said the ministry of trade has registered 484 new businesses, of which 421 were close corporations and 63 were sole proprietorships.
Irimari said the same ministry also financed the production of 42 393 fabric facemasks at a cost of N$847 860 in the region.
"The masks were developed by local small- and medium-sized enterprises [SMEs] and donated to the pensioners and vulnerable people in the region," he said.
Irimari pointed out that the pandemic did not spare any sector of the economy.
Informal traders were also adversely affected and challenged to maintain the required hygiene standards.
He added that all these resilient strategies are commendable and have been implemented to make it easier to do business in Namibia.
- [email protected]
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