by Hilfa Hilfa
There is a famous Argentinian quote, which
states “At least once in a lifetime you will need a
doctor, a lawyer, an architect- but every day,
three times a day, you will need a farmer!” This
famous quote, sums up the essence of farming
and how vital it is.
Agriculture, farming and environmental sustainability
are not only needed for our daily food consumption
but plays a vital role in job creation and
economic development. It is imperative clear
that Namibia`s agricultural and agribusiness
sector have an important role to play in helping
the government to achieve its National Development
Plan goals of eliminating poverty and
reducing inequality by 2030.
An increase in agricultural output and productivity
can substantially contribute to the country`s
overall economic development and we clearly
know that if economic development is to be
fast-tracked and made self-sustaining, it must
begin with the agricultural sector. Food Security
is a major concern for our growing population. As
resources dwindle and the population rises,
smart solutions for better agriculture and safer
food storage are essential.
Yes, we can do it. If country like Israel with more
than half of the land being a desert (over half of
Israel`s saline soil is arid or semi-arid and
Israel`s natural water supplies are below the UN
definition of water poverty) are making major
breakthrough in the area of agriculture, then why
can`t we do it?
Since Israel`s establishment in 1948, the country
has almost tripled the territory used for farming
and production has multiplied 16 times. Today,
Israel manages to produce 95% of its own food
requirements. Namibia can also bring about this
transformation if they introduce a close cooperation
between farmers, Namibia`s agro industry
and extensively start promoting technical
research (R&D).
Email : ihshilng@gmail.com