The poultry industry has had a great deal to do with addressing unemployment in Namibia.

The Minister of Industrialisation and Trade, Lucia Iipumbu, remarked this when she consulted with stakeholders in that sector on the opportunities and challenges to its expected growth and development.

Iipumbu highlighted the role of poultry farming as a viable investment.

The meeting brought together poultry producers, importers, traders, farmers, and aspiring farmers to discuss the sector's growth, the rising poultry imports, and strategies to strengthen local production.

Since 2020, and drawing lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, Namibia's poultry sector has undergone significant evolution, marked by the emergence of both small-scale and large-scale enterprises.

This growth underscores the industry's potential to create employment and drive rural development, particularly for socio-economically disadvantaged communities.

The Minister of Industrialisation and Trade, Lucia Iipumbu, emphasised the government's commitment to protecting the poultry sector as a viable investment.

The Deputy Director in the Ministry, Sakues Kapanda, emphasised the importance of providing opportunities to SMEs.

The need for a balanced approach that accommodates the interests of importers, exporters, and consumers while ensuring the development of the domestic poultry industry was emphasised.

Key discussions at the meeting focused on strengthening local production capabilities to reduce reliance on imports.

The meeting also deliberated on how to improve the regulatory framework for poultry administration to support producers and traders, enhance access to resources and training for aspiring poultry farmers, and develop strategies to balance consumer demand with local production capacity.