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AB InBev Namibia and Agriculture Ministry sign water sustainability agreement

AB InBev Namibia and Agriculture Ministry sign water sustainability agreement

AB InBev Namibia in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding related to ensuring Namibia’s water sustainability on 7 November.

AB InBev, through a strategic partnership with SLR Environmental Consulting Namibia, will be conducting a Hydrogeological Investigation of the Swakop River between Von Bach and Swakoppoort dams to confirm the availability of groundwater and to understand the potential impact of increased abstraction.

This is in line with the AB InBev’s 2025 Sustainability Goals, which are designed to positively impact communities around the world and deliver measurable results in areas of Smart Agriculture, Circular Packaging, Climate Action and Water Stewardship.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Renaud Beauchamp, Managing Director for AB InBev Namibia and Botswana said water is more than just a key ingredient in their beer, as it is a critical resource for the economic and environmental well-being of the communities they operate in.

“We brew our beers at the highest level of water efficiency and we continually challenge ourselves to do even more. That is why we are looking beyond our own operations and improving high-risk watersheds in the areas where we operate” he added.

Based on the MOU, ABInBev Namibia will be the funding partner whilst the ministry will be the custodian of the resources, with the following benefits; Assessment and quantification of potential resources, the development of a groundwater quality map with potential pollution sources, overall contribution to enhance knowledge of existing aquifers with implication as contingent supply in times of need.

In addition, skills transfer to benefit identified ministry staff and the development of a numerical model that may prove useful for control of groundwater utilisation including abstraction of groundwater by Osona plot farmers utilising the Swakop River alluvial aquifer.

“We have a water situation where we need to ensure that every drop of water counts and to do what we need to utilize all the water sources that we have and find additional sources to ensure water security for all Namibians. That is why this study is important, to help us identify whether we have additional water resources in this area and if so, what the quantity and quality is and how much of it can be abstracted without depleting the resource,” Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Percy Misika, said.

Furthermore, the partnership between AB InBev Namibia and the ministry provides an opportunity to understand the aquifer and its potential for future use.


Caption: The Managing Director of ABInBev Namibia and Botswana, Renaud Beauchamp (left) and Percy Misika, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry signing the Memorandum of Understanding.


 

About The Author

Donald Matthys

Donald Matthys has been part of the media fraternity since 2015. He has been working at the Namibia Economist for the past three years mainly covering business, tourism and agriculture. Donald occasionally refers to himself as a theatre maker and has staged two theatre plays so far. Follow him on twitter at @zuleitmatthys