Indians in Uvhungu-vhungu joint venture

The Uvhungu-vhungu dairy farm in the Kavango East Region has been awarded to a Namibian and Indian joint venture for a period of 25 years, after government invited foreign investors into the projects.Ndakalimwe Investment CC, owned by Josef Ndakalimwe Ndafediva, has teamed up with Zeuzer India, which said it has “21 years of vast experience in serving the dairy and food industries through scientific innovation and technology”.Ndakalimwe will hold a 51% stake in the project, with Zeuzer taking the remaining 49%, the agriculture ministry confirmed.Ndafediva has scooped several tenders in Ohangwena, with several previous media reports indicating he had many incomplete projects.As of 2020, projects still pending included the construction of a rural development centre in Kavango West, the construction of police headquarters at Ongha in Ohangwena and the construction of the Ohangwena regional council offices at Eenhana, according to The Namibian.Ndafediva yesterday refused to comment on the Uvhungu-vhungu deal.State agricultural entity, Agribusdev, was in charge of 11 green schemes, including Uvhungu-vhungu, but Cabinet approved the winding up of the parastatal a year ago after the company’s dismal failure to manage the schemes.The green schemes are set to be offered to private operators on a public-private partnership basis, it was announced at the time.Move condemnedLast year at the Dubai World Expo, agriculture minister Calle Schlettwein announced government’s intention to lease Namibia’s green schemes through a request for proposals to foreign investors.The move was condemned by sections of Namibians, including the Namibia Local Business Association (Naloba), which said the green schemes cannot be operated by international investors while Namibia’s local business community has the capacity and the capabilities to run and operate these projects productively.Subsequently, Uvhungu-vhungu, along with the Ndonga Linena green scheme and the Orange River Irrigation Project, were advertised for private-sector participation.Schlettwein yesterday confirmed the Namibia-Indian joint venture during his annual address to staff and stakeholders.“These are now at evaluation and adjudication stage. While this process is unfolding, the ministry - with public funding support - has put these assets into production after many years of underutilisation.”The minister said he could not remember how the shareholding is distributed between the two entities, as he was not in the office.He added that the other three green schemes - Shadikongoro, Sikondo and Etunda - have not been advertised yet and remain with the ministry.ProductionAccording to Schlettwein, winter crops (wheat) have been planted and harvested at some of these schemes and summer crops are now being planted.The total 776 hectares will bring an average of 7 000 tonnes of white maize from the afore-mentioned green schemes, he said.“This will double the yield of last year’s maize realised from the Musese, Mashare and Shitemo green schemes. If all goes according to plan, the yield of 14 000 tonnes - which excludes the small- and medium-scale farmers’ produce - will overflow the current national strategic food reserve, which currently stands at the capacity of 11 000 tonnes.”He said the local demand for white maize from April to December 2022 was 136 204 metric tonnes, of which 97 534 tonnes was locally produced, and 38 670 tonnes imported.That is close to 80% maize self-sufficiency, he said.“The current good rain experienced in the country, combined with the revival of the green scheme projects, means that the country is on its way to self-sufficiency when it comes to white maize; and it is my hope that it is achieved by 2024/2025.”Other schemes availableSchlettwein said public bids for the three brownfield projects - Tandjieskoppe, Zone and Katima Liselo - have also been floated in the market.“For these projects, a re-advertisement is envisaged as the bids did not receive any response from the market. Further market sounding will be undertaken to better pitch these opportunities to potential investors going forward.”Meanwhile, land acquisition for the Neckartal Dam Irrigation Project continues and over 11 000 hectares have been acquired.

Indians in Uvhungu-vhungu joint venture

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-03

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Indians in Uvhungu-vhungu joint venture

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-03

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