Agribusdev staff integrated into agri ministry

At least 32 former workers from the dissolved Agricultural Business Development Agency (Agribusdev) are being integrated into the agriculture ministry. Agriculture minister Calle Schlettwein said the integration process started last year and is still ongoing. “At the moment, the employees housed in the ministry are acting as a support team to the director of agricultural production, extension and engineering services,” he said in response to questions in the National Assembly.Schlettwein explained that this is an interim arrangement while the absorption process is finalised, adding that the ministry has made budgetary provisions to cater for their salaries as they “cannot afford to send them into the streets”. All staff members from agronomic and engineering services will also be integrated, he said. Green schemesAccording to the minister, about 285 employees at the country’s green schemes will be employed by incoming service providers who will take over these projects. Meanwhile, the status of broken implements and equipment on green scheme farms which were initially managed and supervised by Agribusdev have also been improved on. This is due to a N$40 million budget allocation during the medium-term expenditure framework budget review, he said.He added that following the Cabinet decision to dissolve Agribusdev, the ministry has mobilised funds to put five green schemes - Sikongo, Etunda, Shadikongoro, Vhungu-Vungu and Ndonga Linena - under production. A total of 776 hectares is under irrigation and an average of 7 000 tonnes of white maize is expected to be harvested from these green schemes.“This will double the harvest of last year’s maize, which was realised from Musese, Mashare and Shitemo green schemes.”Schlettwein said if all goes according to plan, the expected total harvest of 14 000 tonnes of maize - which excludes small- and medium-scale farmers - will exceed the capacity of the national strategic food reserve facilities, which currently stands at 11 000 tonnes. Namibians firstSchlettwein added that the ministry invited expressions of interest from both foreign and domestic investors for the country’s green schemes, but first priority will be given to Namibian-owned entities. “In the absence of 100% ownership, companies in which Namibian ownership represents 51% can be considered.”Agribusdev was established in 2011 to monitor and create an ideal environment for achieving the objectives of the green schemes, as defined by the green scheme policy of 2008.

Agribusdev staff integrated into agri ministry

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-04

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Agribusdev staff integrated into agri ministry

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-04

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