Agriculture has the potential to change the lives of young Namibians.

This was the message by the Director of Youth Development Nicolars Tembwe at the official opening of the Youth Agriculture Cooperatives Workshop held in Keetmanshoop.

Twenty-five participants from the ||Kharas, Kunene, Otjozonjupa, Erongo, Khomas, Omaheke and Hardap regions participated in the workshop.

The training  focuses on business plan development for youth agricultural cooperatives.  

It aims to assist participants securing funding for their cooperatives.

Tembwe indicated the training initiative is aligned with the direction contained in the SWAPO Party Manifesto Implementation Plan and NDP6.

It further promotes  the establishment of at least one youth agriculture co-operative in each of the country's fourteen regions.  

"Youth Agriculture Co-operatives can contribute significantly to employment creation, income generation, food security, poverty reduction , skills development and local economic development. The Knowledge that you are gaining here today on business plan development is an important skill that you can use beyond this particular cooperative."

Tembwe further urged  Youth officers to continue supporting young people in finalising their business plans even after the training concludes.

One of the Participants Ronny Visser has thanked the leadership for creating this opportunity on behalf of the participants.

"I want to thank our leaders for making this opportunity for us and secondly I want to thank the most important people here, the youth for coming first of all and in short I would just like to say let us worked together and make our people proud."

The workshop is scheduled to run until Friday and is facilitated by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform.