The Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform (MAWLR) has announced that Namibian beef and lamb can now be exported to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar.

The Executive Director in the ministry, Ndiyakupi Ngituwamata, says the ministry has secured markets for export-approved abattoirs both in the northern communal areas (NCAs) and south of the veterinary cordon fence (Red Line).

The NCA export-approved abattoirs can export beef to Qatar, while those south of the Red Line can export beef and lamb to the UAE.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform has called on the public to take a keen interest in and provide input to the National Ressetlement Policy, for which some of its criteria are being reviewed.

Speaking at the stakeholder consultative workshop at Keetmanshoop, the Director of Land Reform in the Ministry, Petrus Nangolo, says the criteria need to be reviewed to address resolutions taken during the second National Land Conference.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform says it is working to ensure that there is water supply to communities in the Omusati, Oshikoto, and Ohangwena regions, as well as in Daures Constituency in the Erongo Region.

The communities have been experiencing challenges with water supply.

Tondoro Constituency in the Kavango West Region and Otjombinde in the Omaheke Region are also affected by water supply interruptions.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform is conducting a four-day workshop at Keetmanshoop in the ||Kharas Region to review regulations on plant quarantining and fertilizer management, animal feed, and agricultural remedies.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) found that Namibia lacks specific legislation to regulate the management of chemicals and pesticides.

The current legislative framework on pesticide management contains an array of different pieces of legislation, presenting a high risk to human health and the environment.

The Minister of Agriculture, Water, and Land Minister of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform, Carl Schlettwein, says his ministry will first monitor the current boreholes at Groot Aub, which are said to be without water, before considering other options.

This follows complaints by residents about the lack of water at the settlement in the Windhoek Rural constituency.

Schlettwein and the Minister of Urban and Rural Development, Erastus Uutoni, were in Groot Aub on a familiarization trip to see the situation on the ground.

The Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform has called on stakeholders in the industry to be content with the disruptions brought by geo-political tension in the supply of basic foodstuffs.

Carl Schlettwein was speaking at the Inter-sectoral coordination and technical exchange workshop on food security and agronomic support.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform has expressed concern about the theft and vandalism of equipment used to monitor floods at its satellite stations along the Cuvelai Basin in the Omusati and Ohangwena regions.

The issue was initially raised by Agriculture Minister Carl Schlettwein, who on social media last week stated that several pieces of equipment at flood monitoring stations had been stolen or vandalized.

He added that such theft and vandalism cannot be tolerated as it directly harms communities that bear the risk of flood damage.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform will set up dairy value chain development schemes as pilot projects in the Otjozondjupa and Omaheke regions.

These pilot projects are part of the measures recommended to save the dairy industry from collapse.

This was revealed by the Chief Agricultural Scientific Officer, Dr. Jorry Kaurivi, during the launch of the pilot project at Gobabis.

Each region will receive N$2 million to establish dairy value chain development plans.