Windhoek: Agriculture Minister, Inge Zaamwani, has underscored agriculture as the foremost priority for the eighth administration, urging her team to optimize resource utilization to meet the goals set forth in the sixth National Development Plan. "When you know that the livelihoods of the people of this country depend on you, you know there is no time to waste to ensure that resources allocated to you are optimally utilised towards the targets set in the sixth National Development Plan," Zaamwani expressed during the annual ministerial staff and stakeholders address in Windhoek on Thursday.
According to Namibia Press Agency, the minister articulated that water security is crucial for agricultural production, industrial growth, and national development. She stressed the necessity of heightened investment in bulk water infrastructure to ensure that underserved areas receive proper service. "To safeguard this critical resource, we must scale up investments in bulk water supply infrastructure and expand rural water systems to underserved areas. Strengthening water harvesting and storage capacity remains essential in mitigating climate variability," she stated.
Zaamwani outlined strategic objectives for the period leading up to 2026/2027, focusing on sustainable economic transformation. This includes natural resource management, animal and plant health, productivity, food security, innovation, value chains, and market access. The ministry's agenda also includes equitable resource access, land security, enhancing the blue economy, and advocating for operational excellence through the adoption of climate-smart technologies, research enhancement, improved cybersecurity, and governance, alongside boosting revenue generation.
The minister emphasized that these strategic pillars and key objectives represent the ministry's collective commitment to constructing a resilient, productive, inclusive, and future-ready Namibia. "Our performance culture has to change towards being impact-oriented as opposed to input-focused. We must eliminate bureaucratic delays and expedite procurement. We should strengthen leadership and management capabilities across all ranks and streamline internal processes for better service delivery, ensuring accountability, transparency, and ethical conduct in all operations," she remarked.
In addition, Zaamwani highlighted the significant role of Namibia's marine resources in economic advancement, advocating for robust sustainable ocean governance. She proposed enhancing aquaculture, scientific research, and fisheries to support coastal communities and safeguard marine ecosystems.