Agriculture, Water and Land Reform Minister, Calle Schlettwein, says concerted efforts are needed to realign the Namibia Agricultural Policies to speak to value-added chains.

Schlettwein made these remarks after touring the Otavi Grain Silo and factory at Otavi in the Otjozondjupa Region.

Schlettwein says his visit was necessitated by the government's goal of having the nation be fully self-sufficient in terms of food production as well as the need to invest in processing infrastructure for primary products.

"This visit to this facility has to do with agriculture, and the purpose is to acquaint ourselves with the whole value chain. So, of course, it's always interesting to see how they operate, what they are thinking, and what the market information is that they use when they do their business. So those three points are, for me, very important because I am able to judge whether our policy chain is in fact doable or not. At this stage, I am very happy to say that the policy shift is very doable. So in fact, it's very necessary and the stakeholders are very much buying into that policy shift of self-sufficiency."

Schlettwein is happy with operations at the Otavi Grain Silos, stressing the need for millers and storage facilities countrywide to be aligned with the policy.

"It's a very important facility. It doesn't look like it, but if you see inside, for instance, the porridge mix facility and the sugar mix facility, they are all modern, automated, computer-driven installations that are absolutely compatible with many important facilities in other first-world countries. So it's good and I am impressed. That's the one thing. The other thing is that there is also old infrastructure and that it is put to good use in terms of storage facilities. This infrastructure will be upgraded."

Schlettwein and his delegation also visited the agricultural green scheme of the B2 Gold Mine, where they toured the wheat fields and green-house of indigenous trees for replanting.

The Minister's delegation is also expected to meet the regional land board, assess the Otavi-Kombat aquifers, and the water infrastructure at Coblenz, and hold talks with local authorities in the area.