Multi-million meat processing facility for Rundu

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has begun construction of the Rundu Abattoir, cold storage and meat processing facility in the Northern Communal Areas (NCA) for approximately N$110 miilion.
The Rundu meat processing infrastructure forms part of a national program to construct and upgrade several abattoirs in the Northern Communal Areas to meet veterinary regulations on meat from the north which requires 21 days of refrigeration to be liable for export.
Minister of Agriculture and Forestry John Mutorwa said, “By upgrading the abattoir in Rundu to slaughter approximately 40 cattle or 80 sheep/goats per day, the improved potential will positively impact the local regional and national economy.”
The ultimate goal of this project is to increase the slaughter of cattle and goat and encourage value-addition as well as to create additional economic activity through secondary business ventures in the region.
Mutorwa said cattle and small stock farmers in the Kavango East and Kavango West are likely to grow due to activities at the newly created livestock trading centres, specifically in the catchment areas in and around both areas.

He added that the Rundu abattoir will be modernized and upgraded, to meet international meat hygiene norms and standards.
The Directorate of Veterinary Science has proclaimed the NCA virtually Foot and Mouth Disease free which Mutorwa said can lead to use of communal cattle in mainstream economy.
The first phase of the value addition project will focus on the establishment of abattoirs, deboning and meat processing facilities, using some of the cold storage facilities into a variety of raw and processed meat products, to be marketed throughout Namibia in the first phase of the project.
The project is set to create employment creation through the transfer of specialized skills, an SME agricultural market for generating a livelihood in remote areas.
Mutorwa said that the daunting task of the Agricultural sector’s expected growth average of 4% per annum is a mammoth task, which is achievable.”
The processing facilities output will be marketed throughout the country in phase one of the project. The mid-to long-term objectives will see these products being exported to neighbouring countries and any other already established export markets.