With less potato production in Namibia, the National Youth Service in Rietfontein is proud to produce and sell its first harvest of potatoes to the public.

In 2021, NYS received funding from the Namibia Training Authority, through capacity-building grants, for the institution to carry out its mandate of empowering youth with skills and generating income.

One production owing its existence to the funding is potato production, with potatoes cultivated via a centre pivot irrigation system.

Production started in December last year, led by students on internship from NYS, with assistance from vocational training centres in Zambezi and Rundu.

NYS' Skills, Training, and Production Executive, Joy Mamili, says, "The potatoes will enhance food security and nutrition provision for the trainees as well as contribute towards the country's food supply system, therefore, what we are witnessing today is in route towards implementing Sustainable Development Goal 2, which starts with zero hunger. This is one of the ways we are moving towards eliminating hunger in Namibia."

Horticulture Consultant Tjizauru Toromba says potato production is quite complicated, with a lot of risks to consider.

"It's quite difficult if we have to do potato production, and as we know, almost 50 percent of potatoes is not sufficient for us. Namibia imports more from SA. We started with seed cultivation. No farmer in Namibia is cultivating seeds, and we are importing them from SA. It's not an easy task, but with your support, we managed to procure seeds. We did the land preparation. It was just on 0.5 hectares. Under a centre pivot covering 2.2 hectares."

The Centre Pivot Irrigation System assisted immensely in their production, and Toromba says it is going to shape the future of farming, noting that they cannot afford to rely only on the rains.

"So it's one of the technologies; we ask more from the government to set up a centre pivot irrigation system; perhaps try to close and close this import gap from South Africa."

NYS runs three centre pivots, with other produce including lucerne, cabbage, carrots, and onions.