Bundestag delegation visits communal agriculture projects

The Minister of Agriculture, Water and Forestry, Hon John Mutorwa (left) this week hosted a German parliamentary delegation headed by Mr Alois Gerig of the CDU/CSU party.

The German delegation consists of members of the Committee on Food and Agriculture of the German Bundestag. During the week they have conducted visits to the farming communities in the north before returning to Windhoek.

The field trips included a visit to several communal agricultural projects, a vocational training centre and commercial enterprises. The delegation met with Hon Mutorwa, Hon Utoni Nujoma, the Minister of Land Reform, as well as members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Natural Resources.

The delegation is planning an extensive exchange of ideas with Namibian Members of Parliament, representatives from the government, farmers unions and non-governmental organisations. The visit includes discussions with German political foundations, the KfW and GIZ.

The visit by the delegation focuses on the effects of climate change on agriculture, the importance of land reform for the agricultural sector in southern Africa, vocational and further training as well as the improvement of rural regions, the development potential for urban agriculture including the prospects of trade in the area of food and agriculture.

The delegation comprises Artur Auernhammer, Hermann Färber, Carola Stauche, Rita Hagl-Kehl, Dr. Wilhelm Priesmeier and Harald Ebner, all German parliamentarians for the parties represented in the Bundestag.

In addition, the delegation will visit projects of the German development cooperation, agricultural research stations and universities, agricultural empowerment enterprises and organisations in the food industry.