Ongwediva agricultural tech centre in pipeline

The Minister of Agriculture, Water and Forestry, John Mutorwa said this week while inaugurating the Rundu National Agricultural Technology Centre that a similar project is planned for Ongwediva, in the Oshana Region come year end.
Mutorwa said that the country is at risk of being left behind in not achieving a higher level of technological capability in increasing productivity and competitiveness and economic growth. “The survival of a nation, in today’s competitive global market environment, solely rest with the technological capability of such nations individual countries,” he said.

The upgrading of the national agricultural infrastructure and investment continues as the Rundu National Agricultural Technology Centre forms part of a country wide network of national agricultural technology centres.
The centre will house government agricultural machinery and equipment with the assembling, repairing and maintenance combined with scientific research and development. Mutorwa said that the agricultural sector is set to be revolutionised particularly crop production by these centres. The nation wide networks aim is to establish a comprehensive agricultural management system in supporting farmers at projects such as the Green Scheme Projects particularly subsistence farmers. AGRIBUSDEV, the government’s agricultural funding agency will lead the centre’s extension and engineering services in liaison with the Ministries Directorate of Agricultural Production.
“This centre is the first of its kind in Namibia and it is meant to provide, in a practical sense, the following essential services to Namibia’s farming communities, “ Mutorwa said. He added that food security, would be impossible, without the accompanying intervention and investment, to create the necessary local technological capability in bringing agricultural services closer to people.
However Mutorwa said that technology embedded in hardware is meaningless without the knowledge and skills. Urging Vocational Training Centres and Institutions of Higher Learning to up their game in creating and imparting of appropriate knowledge, and technology and skills in working with the ministry of agriculture.
“For the Manager and employees of this centre, I say; do not ask for easier life, ask to be stronger person and ultimately work in such a way that Namibia and the nation become stronger and competitive,” he added.