Amendments to Meat Industry (MI): The inclusion of dairy and dairy related products as well as the poultry and poultry related products (this includes eggs) regarded to greatly assist local producers.
In the recent review of the Meat Industry Act, 1981 (Act No 12 of 1981) has led to the amendment bill of this act. The Meat Industry Act of 1981 makes provision for the control of certain livestock and livestock products namely cattle, sheep, goats and pigs and meat derived therefrom.
There is now winds of change as there was a review of this act to include other commodities such as dairy and poultry as well. Regarded to make up a basic diet of households across all income levels; poultry, diary and pork in particular are still imported on a net basis within the country. During the amendment act; the minister of agriculture water and land reform, Calle Schlettwein have revealed that the growth of these agricultural industries are all intensive industries with high employment creation potential which are crucial for import substitution, food self-sufficiency and food security as well as adding value to locally produced raw material.
According to Calle, the growth of these sectors in terms of production volume is critical for reducing import reliance and future imported inflation risk. Reliance on imports is not only regarded to present food security risk but has also associated economic and financial risks like imported inflation, exchange control and balance of payment risks.
The explicit inclusion of dairy and poultry products in the Meat Industry (MI) Act, is expected to enable the Meat Board of Namibia to exercise effective management of the importation of dairy and dairy products as well as poultry meat and meat products and overcome the legal challenges experienced over the past years. Some of the challenges included the two-subsectors (poultry & dairy products) being at the brink of collapse as many producers were or are going out of production due to imports into Namibia.
The amendment act is further expected to enable Namibia to develop its dairy and poultry industries through a pro-growth regulatory framework in line with the Namibia Agriculture Policy and Growth at Home Strategy.
Part of the amendment also includes changing the name of the Board and the scope of its functions respectively, given the broader mandate. It is proposed that the Meat Board of Namibia be called the Livestock and Livestock Products Board of Namibia. Amendments have also been made to provide for fewer board members and more specifically for the appointment of a member with requisite expertise on dairy industry and amendment to provide for the management of the payment of levies by the respective producers regulated under the Bill.