Producers, traders recognised
The NAB remains committed to the overall development of the horticultural industry, through market regulation and facilitation.
The Namibian Agronomic Board (NAB) hosted the annual National Horticulture Awards last week in Windhoek to honour outstanding producers and traders.
The event aims to publicly recognise the hard work, innovation and ingenuity of horticulture producers and traders in their efforts to provide the Namibian market with locally-produced fresh fruit and vegetables.
This year's awards were held in Windhoek and the event was different from the previous years, when the awards were normally hosted in conjunction with National Horticulture Day, which is usually a full-day event held in the region of either the winner of the small-, medium- or large-scale category.
This was enacted by the board in order to cut costs amid the ongoing drought that is currently being experienced in the country.
A smaller awards ceremony was thus held in the capital, instead.
NAB national horticulture task team (NHTT) chairperson Nico van der Merwe highlighted some positive developments, including increasing the horticulture market share promotion (MSP) scheme from 5% in 2005 to the current 47% threshold in the 2018/19 financial year.
The MSP requires that all traders, retailers and caterers buy a minimum of 47% of all their fresh fruit and vegetables locally in a given period, before they can be issued with import permits.
NAB board chairperson Michael Iyambo said compliance was being closely monitored.
“The NAB has put mechanisms in place to closely monitor the compliance of all importers of horticulture produce, to ensure that the agreed minimum of 47% local procurement is extensively adhered to,” he said.
Iyambo said the NAB will remain committed to the overall development of the horticultural industry, through market regulation and facilitation.
In addition, the NAB is conducting various research projects aimed at the sustainable development of the horticultural industry, which will be published later this year.
The overall winners in the producer categories were Gero Hirsch from the Karst area in the Otjozondjupa Region as the large-scale horticulture producer of the year, Epafras Hilengwa from Olushandja in the Omusati Region as the medium-scale horticulture producer of the year and Erastus Ndungu from the Sibinda constituency in the Zambezi Region as the small-scale horticulture producer of the year.
The overall winner in the horticulture trader 'mega category' was Freshmark Namibia.
NAB CEO Dr Fidelis Mwazi commended all the sponsors for contributing towards making the event a success. He emphasised the importance of such platforms in recognising and encouraging producers and traders in Namibia to continue in their efforts to provide the nation with fresh fruit and vegetables, despite the unfavourable weather conditions.
“With consistency, focus and hard work we can, as an industry, contribute towards food security for our country, and this can only be achieved through organised agriculture, where all roleplayers are involved in assisting the producers to obtain the desired yield in tons per hectare,” Mwazi said.
He said they are currently implementing the goals and objectives outlined in the 2019/20 to 2023/24 NAB strategic plan, which is their dynamic blueprint towards agronomy and horticulture industry development.
“We are also confident that it will steer the NAB towards our vision of being a world-class regulator of a vibrant, diversified and sustainable crop industry.”
STAFF REPORTER
The event aims to publicly recognise the hard work, innovation and ingenuity of horticulture producers and traders in their efforts to provide the Namibian market with locally-produced fresh fruit and vegetables.
This year's awards were held in Windhoek and the event was different from the previous years, when the awards were normally hosted in conjunction with National Horticulture Day, which is usually a full-day event held in the region of either the winner of the small-, medium- or large-scale category.
This was enacted by the board in order to cut costs amid the ongoing drought that is currently being experienced in the country.
A smaller awards ceremony was thus held in the capital, instead.
NAB national horticulture task team (NHTT) chairperson Nico van der Merwe highlighted some positive developments, including increasing the horticulture market share promotion (MSP) scheme from 5% in 2005 to the current 47% threshold in the 2018/19 financial year.
The MSP requires that all traders, retailers and caterers buy a minimum of 47% of all their fresh fruit and vegetables locally in a given period, before they can be issued with import permits.
NAB board chairperson Michael Iyambo said compliance was being closely monitored.
“The NAB has put mechanisms in place to closely monitor the compliance of all importers of horticulture produce, to ensure that the agreed minimum of 47% local procurement is extensively adhered to,” he said.
Iyambo said the NAB will remain committed to the overall development of the horticultural industry, through market regulation and facilitation.
In addition, the NAB is conducting various research projects aimed at the sustainable development of the horticultural industry, which will be published later this year.
The overall winners in the producer categories were Gero Hirsch from the Karst area in the Otjozondjupa Region as the large-scale horticulture producer of the year, Epafras Hilengwa from Olushandja in the Omusati Region as the medium-scale horticulture producer of the year and Erastus Ndungu from the Sibinda constituency in the Zambezi Region as the small-scale horticulture producer of the year.
The overall winner in the horticulture trader 'mega category' was Freshmark Namibia.
NAB CEO Dr Fidelis Mwazi commended all the sponsors for contributing towards making the event a success. He emphasised the importance of such platforms in recognising and encouraging producers and traders in Namibia to continue in their efforts to provide the nation with fresh fruit and vegetables, despite the unfavourable weather conditions.
“With consistency, focus and hard work we can, as an industry, contribute towards food security for our country, and this can only be achieved through organised agriculture, where all roleplayers are involved in assisting the producers to obtain the desired yield in tons per hectare,” Mwazi said.
He said they are currently implementing the goals and objectives outlined in the 2019/20 to 2023/24 NAB strategic plan, which is their dynamic blueprint towards agronomy and horticulture industry development.
“We are also confident that it will steer the NAB towards our vision of being a world-class regulator of a vibrant, diversified and sustainable crop industry.”
STAFF REPORTER
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article