The Governor of the Ohangwena Region says the region is ready to make land available for projects and programmes aimed at enhancing food security, one of its key development priorities.

Kadiva Hamutumwa made the remarks during a visit to a Chinese-owned agricultural project at Eenhana.

A Chinese-owned agricultural project that has been operating in Eenhana for more than 20 years produces sorghum and sweet corn using seedlings imported from China. The project previously also cultivated spinach.

Ohangwena Governor Kadiva Hamutumwa expressed satisfaction with the progress made by the ChiNam Agriculture Development Project.

"Ohangwena, we are ready to avail land for projects that are aimed at value creation for our people and create employment."

Besides agriculture, the business also manufactures building materials, including lipped channels and fence wire, using raw materials imported from China.

Eenhana Mayor Omri-onn Kavandje said the town allocated land for the project to help reduce poverty and unemployment while supporting local economic development.

"We gave this land for food security. The purpose of giving land adjacent to each other is for them to learn in terms of food security. This project did not produce for those past years because of water."

On his part, the project owner, Jie Su, said the agricultural side of the business was thriving before the COVID-19 pandemic. However, production declined after many of the project's regular Chinese customers returned to China.

"We have been here for 20 years, producing mahangu sorghum. We are also having a small workshop here assembling wire nets and lipped channels."

The business currently employs 14 people.