Competitive bidding for green schemes
DUBAI - The 11 green scheme irrigation farms in Namibia will be put out on the market between May and July this year through a request for proposals (RFP), minister of agriculture Calle Schlettwein has said.
Schlettwein said this during the Namibia Investment Summit on the periphery of World Expo 2020 held in Dubai.
“Government intends to issue the RFP’s during the abovementioned timeframe to the market for competitive bidding,” he added.
They include the Orange River, Hardap, Etunda, Musese, Sikondo, Vhungu-Vhungu, Ndonga-Linena, Mashare, Shadikongoro, Kalimbeza and Shitemo green scheme farms.
The Agricultural Business Development (AgriBusDev) entity 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.
Over the years, Agribusdev could not manage the green schemes. Last year, Cabinet thus approved to cancel the memorandum of understanding between the ministry of agriculture and Agribusdev.
Meanwhile, the minister said the 5 000-hectare irrigation scheme outside Neckartal dam will also be put on the market through the RFsP.
“There are significant opportunities here for investors to link up with us. Although the climate is very dry there, with irrigation, the day-length temperature and sunlight’s quality are of such a nature that yields are higher than in areas of our competitors,” he stated.
Once implemented, the project is expected to boost food security and economic development in the //Kharas region.
He said the envisaged irrigation scheme would produce a valley of green lush land where high-value crops like wheat, maize, vegetables and fruits as well as animal fodder could be produced for consumption and export to other markets.