Redline still haunts the Namibia meat market

The Permanent Secretary of Agriculture Joseph Iita identified the Veterinary Cordon Fence as one of the major challenges which need to be addressed in 2014, during the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry (MAWF) annual ministerial policy statement last week. “The much hated Veterinary Cordon Fence is still dividing our country with its manifestations and exclusion of the majority of our citizens from access to lucrative international meat markets” said Joseph Iita. Iita said the MAWF through the directorates of Veterinary Services is supposed to bring equality in the sector by liberating the Northern Communal Areas which have been shunned over a considerable period.

“The fence must go either physically or at least its manifestations in what ever form. As a matter of fact the majority of cattle live in the NCAs, yet their contribution towards the meat industry is still meagre” he reiterated. He stated that the first decisive steps have been successfully implemented but stressed that the economic liberation of the NCAs is still a far cry from being dealt with but stated it was possible to do so.
He later also went on to castigate the under utilisation of the budget in the ministry and suggested the money allocated be used for what it was meant for rather than return it to the treasury. Furthermore he discouraged the tendency of budgeting a three year project within one financial year as this practice distorted the government budgeting system causing unnecessary and expensive borrowing by the state.