Agribank chief advocates for synergies between institutions
AGRIBANK Chief Executive Officer, Sakaria Nghikembua, says there is a need for the establishment of development partnerships between organisations and institutions, both public and private as well as producers.
Nghikembua said if such partnerships are effectively implemented, it can create synergies and deliver combined value that is greater than the sum of the values of individuals’ efforts. He made the remarks at the launch of the Meatco night school for livestock farmers in Windhoek last week.
The Meatco night classes and producers forum will offer farmers extension services, advising and teaching producers to align the quality of animals with their livestock production systems to revive the sector. At the event, Nghikembua added that the agriculture sector faces unique challenges and opportunities that if accurately exploited, can lead to securing of livelihoods, fuelling economic growth and fostering human development in the country.
Nghikembua highlighted the fact that Namibia’s production levels are not optimal, despite the country having the needed resources such as the people, land, water, markets and funding. This according to him, leads to a consumption gap resulting in the country importing the basic food stuff from other countries, most notably from South Africa in far too much quantities.
The Agribank chief advised producers to “move beyond subsistence”. “We need to contribute to the prosperity of our country, and we need skills to make this happen. We need to put money and time into skilling, upskilling and re-skilling our producers. They need practical, real-life skills to up their game,” Nghikembua noted.
Agribank spends over N$8 million annually to support the delivery of training and mentorship interventions to producers.