Prime Minister Saara-Kuugongelwa-Amadhila has encouraged crop farmers to diversify food production to enhance the resilience of the country's food systems.

The Premier urged for the diversification of food products following her visit to the Harambee Irrigation Project near Mariental in Hardap Region.

The Harambee Irrigation Project, which started with food production early this year, grows wheat, maize, and lucerne.

142 of the project's 761 hectares of land are currently under cultivation.

"This project is evidence of what we can achieve; it shows the potential that exists for us to diversify our economic activities, first and foremost to build resilience by reducing our dependency on imports and also to optimize job creation and economic growth. Namibia, as I previously stated, has amassed significant savings that are used to finance economic activities outside of the country, but the little that remains is spent primarily on the importation of goods that we cannot produce here."

The premier also emphasized the importance of collaboration between the government and agricultural stakeholders.

"We have to work in partnership in order for projects of this nature to materialize; the different stakeholders that deal with the different aspects are the factors in the success of projects like this and need to work together in order to make sure that such initiatives are successful. So, we should continue to engage one another, so that we enable every person to fully realize their potential and help our country realize its potential to bring prosperity to all Namibians."

The project is not yet exporting its crop products.