Day: May 8, 2023

Posted on

Urgent action required for drought relief: Schlettwein

Recurring drought leading to crop failure and low harvests warrants the prioritisation of responsive actions to address human and livestock needs, Minister of Agriculture Calle Schlettwein has said.

Speaking at the opening of the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform’s planning workshop in Swakopmund on Monday, Schlettwein said drought relief measures and distribution networks should be mobilised to mitigate devastating impacts on producers.

“The recurrence of the drought phenomenon also underscores the need for urgent implementation of drought preparedness measures, such as the expanded activity to harvest rain and flood water for better adaptation and resilience in the future,” the minister noted.

He further emphasised the immediate commencement of feasibility studies for timely project planning and budgeting in the next financial year on the basis of assessed feasibility, including for the Neckartal Dam Irrigation Project. Other critical projects are assessment for the establishment of a veterinary barrier to effectively prevent the introduction of Foot and Mouth Disease and Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) into the NCA, and for the extension of the Biosafety Level 3 Laboratory at the Central Veterinary Laboratory for the establishment of a local vaccine production capacity in the future.

“The feasibility study for the Neckartal Irrigation Project should also be extended to include community consultation on the appropriate model for the green scheme which optimises local participation options. Equally, our interventions on the effective veterinary barrier should go beyond conducting the feasibility study to include immediate steps to nullify the effects of the veterinary cordon fence by starting with the compartmentalisation of veterinary zones, commencing with the Kunene Region and Mangetti areas.”

The minister further stressed that effective management of the green schemes is a key lever for food security and food self-sufficiency, saying the ministry should urgently finalise and implement new lease agreements where awards are made to enable timely injection of private capital to wean these schemes from the government budget.

Ministry officials will during the workshop focus on the strategic plan and presentations on various programmes and projects within the ministry.

The week-long meeting will also present a platform for various stakeholders to coordinate planning within the agricultural sector.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

Posted on

MME launches first-ever electronic fleet management system

The Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) launched the first-ever electronic Fleet Management System (FMS) here Monday.

The electronic FMS is a solution to the management, monitoring, and control of the ministry’s fleet with real-time data to improve operational efficiency and enable management to make quick and informed decisions relating to fleet management.

In her remarks at the launch, MME Deputy Minister Kornelia Shilunga said the system will minimize paperwork and time spent during vehicle management processes.

“This occasion undoubtedly presents a significant milestone in the management of the ministry and government transport system, as it will enable us to improve and deliver basic services to all our people,” Shilunga said.

The Ministry, she added hopes to see the FMS implemented across all government offices, ministries, agencies, and other public institutions.

Speaking at the same event, the ministry’s Chief Analyst Programmer Andreas Mutota who designed and developed the system and its specifications in 2018, said MME will temporarily host the system until it is passed over to the Office of the Prime Minister, where it will be based.

“The FMS is now owned by the government and therefore falls under government assets,” Mutota said.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

Posted on

CAN donates core biopsy needles to the health ministry

The Cancer Association of Namibia (CAN) has donated core biopsy needles worth N.dollars 100 000 to the Windhoek Central Hospital’s Breast Clinic to aid in the fight against breast cancer in Namibia.

Each biopsy needle costs around N.dollars 1000 and a biopsy is required to proceed with the treatment plan once a referral is made, either directly from a clinical breast examination or through a mammogram screening, said CAN Chief Executive Officer Rolf Hansen during the handover in Windhoek on Monday.

”CAN believes that by taking these preventive steps, we can collectively influence lives,” he said.

Throughout the rest of the year, he said, similar projects would be implemented through collaborative work between CAN and MoHSS departments, or by private physicians eager to volunteer their skills.

Breast cancer, according to Hansen, is not only a global killer in Sub-Saharan Africa or Namibia, but it is also the world’s first killer among women.

He stated that 3 945 women in Namibia had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer in the last ten years.

”If found early, breast cancer is treatable and cured. As a result, the CAN advises women to become 365 breasts aware, which simply means getting to know their breasts and speaking to your doctor or contacting CAN if you notice anything unusual,” he said.

Hansen further stated that in order to combat breast cancer in Namibia, CAN collaborated with the health ministry to establish breast clinics as key nodes throughout the country, with the main clinic in Windhoek serving as the largest referral centre.

”We treat all referrals from our mobile clinics at our main clinic in Windhoek. However, because this type of cancer is treatable and curable, we encourage Namibian women to undertake self-examinations and seek medical attention as soon as possible, as the prospects of survival are very poor once detected late,” he said.

This, he stated, adds to the stigma associated with not only breast cancer but cancer in general.

“With this donation, we hope to enable and empower the medical teams at Windhoek Central Hospital to save lives. We also believe that by forming these strategic alliances, we will be able to save more lives and keep families together,” he added.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

Posted on

Namibia promotes investment opportunities in Ghana

The Namibian High Commission in Ghana recently hosted the Namibia Investment and Trade Business Forum in efforts to market the country as a lucrative trading partner and investment destination.

The Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation in a statement said Namibia is well on course to enhance her presence in Ghana and beyond, with strong participation in the 53rd General Assembly of the World Trade Centers Association (WTCA), which took place in Accra from 23 to 28 April 2023.

It said to build up anticipation for Namibia’s participation in the General Assembly, the delegation hosted the Investment and Trade Business Forum at the Namibian High Commission in Accra to “create linkages with the local business community, while highlighting the comparative advantages that position Namibia as a lucrative trading partner and investment destination.”

The event drew over 100 entrepreneurs from a variety of sectors in Ghana, including oil and gas, real estate, agribusiness, tourism, mining, ICT, arts and fashion.

Minister of Industrialisation and Trade, Lucia Iipumbu addressed the forum on Namibia’s investment climate and economic opportunities, while Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) Chief Executive Officer Nangula Uaandja did a presentation on investment opportunities in Namibia.

‘Namibia also had an attractive exhibition booth where various products including meat and meat products, dairy products, pomegranates, dates, maize and wheat products, beer, wine, spirits, cow hides, cosmetics, charcoal, artefacts, Nakara handbags and coats, were displayed,’ it said.

According to the statement, the 53rd General Assembly of the WTCA was the first of its kind to be held in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The annual event brings together high-level government and business delegates from across the globe. Namibia participated in the General Assembly under the sub-theme ‘Namibia: the land of many opportunities’, with a focus on agriculture, fisheries, mining, tourism, energy, logistics infrastructure and real estate.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

Proudly powered by WordPress