Experts in various professions engaged with small and medium-sized (SME) business owners at Gobabis to discuss matters of financial assistance, access to markets, and the importance of value addition.

The two-day seminar titled 'Be-a-Business Hub' was spearheaded by the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB).

The Development Bank of Namibia's (DBN) Manager for SMEs, Heinrich Tsauseb, emphasised that collaboration among business communities is key if the target is success.

"Mainly, the initiative is there to build sort of a network for SMEs within the area to build a hub, to build an ecosystem that they can operate within the Omaheke region. This is for information dissemination so that they can also know about what is happening in Namibia and which institutions are there."

Emillie Abraham is the Horticulture and Market Development Manager at the Namibia Agronomic Board.

"We are still importing wheat and vegetable products. If we can sensitise the Omaheke Region, which has not been involved in crop production, to start producing, obviously one day they'll realise food self-sufficiency in our country and also cut imports."

COSDEF's Koesha Martin informed the gathering that proper costing, pricing, and value addition of products will aid in generating the required income.

"We empower them; we capacitate them to enable them to increase income-earning opportunities and enhance participation in small and micro enterprises."