Agriculture and education are among the sectors to be given priority in regional development.

This was highlighted at a meeting between the Chinese Ambassador to Namibia, Zhao Weiping, and regional leadership.

The Chairperson of the Regional Council, Ignatius Kariseb, stressed the role of the agricultural sector in ensuring food security.

He said actions to address the plight of Namibians should be deliberate.

Following the demarcation of the then-Kavango Region in 2013, Kavango West became the youngest of Namibia's 14 regions.

The region, with its overall size of 24,591 square kilometres and about 99% predominantly rural setup, is regarded as the nation's potential food basket.

The region has agricultural potential for the cultivation of a variety of crops, making the sector in the region important given the natural resources in the form of the Kavango River, which borders the Cuando Cubango province of Angola.

The Deputy Minister of Finance and Public Enterprises, Maureen Hinda-Mbuende, emphasised the crucial role of agriculture in ensuring food sustainability, not only in Africa but also globally.

Speaking during the opening of the SADC Development Finance Institutions Chief Executive Officers Forum in Swakopmund, Hinda-Mbuende also stressed the need for cooperation among SADC countries to promote sustainable agricultural practises and enhance food production in the region.

Residents of Zambezi believe that agriculture if given the necessary attention, investment and support, can develop into a driving force for economic development and job creation in their region.

They say the region has untapped agricultural resources and capabilities that have not been fully utilized or supported for many years.

Residents shared their views during a meeting with the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Resources and Community Development at Katima Mulilo.

The Deputy Prime Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah says agriculture remains one of the sectors that can help reduce poverty, improve the living standards of the people and ensure food security for the poor in the country.

Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah addressed a series of business persons' engagements at Swakopmund and Walvis Bay.
 
Nandi-Ndaitwah says good health and inclusive food systems are critical to achieving the country's development goals and improving people's lives.

Namibia has failed to meet several targets outlined in the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Project.

The country scored a low rating of 4 out of 10, falling below the benchmark of 7.29 set in the Malabo Declaration, which was supposed to be achieved by 2025.

Namibia acceded to the Maputo Declaration on Agriculture and Food Security in Africa and committed to allocate at least 10 percent of its national budget to the agricultural sector to achieve six percent annual growth and attain food security.

The farming community in the vicinity of Kaukurus in the Omaheke Region's Gobabis Constituency met to discuss developmental matters as an encouragement for the residents to take ownership of development in the region.

Gobabis Councillor Augustinius Tebele says his office wants to ensure that communities are involved in the regional development, and planning process and that everyone's input matters.

The Erongo Governor says agriculture is one of Namibia's most important sectors, with around 70 percent of the country's population depending directly or indirectly on it for income and livelihood.

Neville Andre highlighted this during the handing over ceremony of 1 037 gardening tools, wheelchairs, and swinging machines to SMEs at Swakopmund.

The Omaheke Regional Council and the US Embassy have agreed to cooperate in the areas of agriculture, rural development, and health care.

US Ambassador Randy Berry paid a courtesy visit to the region's leadership at Gobabis.

Omaheke Governor Pijoo Nganate shared the region's goals for development and self-sufficiency and welcomed a partnership with the US government as an opportunity to learn from the world's most renowned industrialized nation.

Namibia and Sierra Leone have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen their bilateral and multilateral agreements, with a focus on cooperation in key areas such as agriculture, tourism, infrastructure, trade and investment, and marine resources.

This agreement has been seen as a significant milestone in the relationship between the two African nations.