EU-funded livestock programme continues to improve the livestock value chain in the NCA
The EU Ambassador to Namibia, Sinikka Antila, officially handed over Information Technology (IT) Equipment valued at N$4.5 million to the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform last week Friday.
The equipment was procured under the Livestock Support Programme in the Northern Communal Areas (LSP) funded by the European Union through the Eleventh 11th European Development Fund to the tune of 20 million Euros or 284 million Namibian Dollars.
The overall objective of the LSP is to promote entrepreneurship and enhance the livelihood of NCAs livestock farming communities in a sustainable way while improving the performance of the livestock value chain in the NCA.
Ambassador Antila in a statement said that the handover is a clear testimony of effective collaboration between Namibia and the European Union.
“We are happy to see the programme beginning to deliver tangible results, and we anticipate that this will be the beginning of a long series of similar events between the Namibian government and the EU, within the contexts of this important programme,” she said.
Accepting the IT Equipment on behalf of the Agriculture Ministry, Ndiyakupi Nghituwamata, Acting Executive Director noted that the agriculture sector remains central to the lives of the majority of the Namibian population.
“The sector, directly and indirectly, supports over 70% of the country’s inhabitants for sustenance, incomes and livelihoods,” she explained.
Nghituwamata thanked the European Union for complementing the government’s efforts to improve the performance of the livestock value chain in the Northern Communal Areas.
FLTR – Dr Janett-Star Erastus, State Veterinarian for Traceability Advisory Services – South; Mr Aron Hangula, EU Programme Manager; Ms Ester Amuthenu, National Planning Commission Development Advisor; H.E. Sinikka Antila, EU Ambassador to Namibia; Ms Ndiyakupi Nghituwamata, Acting Executive Director; Mr Penda Iithindi, Deputy ED for Planning, Marketing & Admin; Ms Mildred Kambinda, Deputy ED for Agriculture Development and Dr Albertina Shilongo, Chief Veterinary Officer.
