Slashed agri budget worries Schlettwein

Agriculture and land reform minister Calle Schlettwein has highlighted key projects that must be prioritised while expressing concern about a reduced budget for operational service delivery.Schlettwein reflected on the ministry&#039;s budget at its annual planning workshop in Windhoek this week. He said more than N$1.9 billion was allocated to agriculture and land reform.According to Schlettwein, agriculture and land reform experienced a reduction, specifically for operational service delivery to farmers and other stakeholders.“With less money, we can buy fewer vehicles and other equipment."He said this will reduce the ministry&#039;s ability to assist farmers with "less extension services, less veterinary inspections and less direct support for farms. This is worrisome.”The minister said strategies should be found to expedite the execution of priority projects to ensure the attainment of ministerial mandates and objectives in the course of the 2024–2025 financial year.Priority projectsHe said projects of priority under agriculture must include the full operationalisation of the agricultural production and extension services of the nine targeted green scheme projects.Other priority projects include the completion of the design for the Neckartal Irrigation Scheme, the support and development of agricultural value chains, and the operationalisation of abattoirs in the northern communal areas (NCAs), including the commissioning of the Ongwediva Meat Processing Plant.He also said diagnostic materials should be procured for the Central Veterinary Laboratory.Tackle droughtSchlettwein added that the revision of the drought management policy and strategy requires urgent attention.He said that the Office of the Prime Minister, under its disaster management division, is responsible for drought management."However, the issues to be addressed during a drought are mainly water, food production and grazing matters. My suggestion therefore is for us at the ministry to develop a drought management policy and avail it to the Office of the Prime Minister, while the management plans for other disasters are of course developed by that office.”Land reformWith regard to land reform projects of priority, land purchases and acquisitions and ongoing resettlement remain critical for Namibia’s socio-economic transformation.“This programme aims to rectify the past imbalances of land distribution and redistribute agricultural and commercial land to eligible landless Namibians.”He said it is also critical that the land bill be tabled in Parliament during the 2024–2025 financial year.“During the year under review, the ministry acquired a total of 122 farms measuring 58.8 million hectares at a cost of N$101.4 million, which were allocated to 23 beneficiaries.”He said that the ministry acquired four farms measuring more than 19.1 million hectares for N$18.6 million for the Neckartal Dam Irrigation Project.Under communal land registration, 7 532 persons were registered, translating to 7 339 customary land rights, 96 rights of leasehold and 97 occupational land rights.

Slashed agri budget worries Schlettwein

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-03

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Slashed agri budget worries Schlettwein

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-03

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