OTJIWARONGO — A high-ranking government delegation from Windhoek, led by the Minister of Industrialisation and Trade, Lucia Iipumbu, and the Deputy Executive Director of the same ministry, Dr. Michael Muhavindu, conducted a site visit on Monday to the under-construction Biomass Industrial Park located outside Otjiwarongo. The visit also included the presence of several trade policy analysts and the Specialist Advisor in the Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations, and Employment Creation, Vicki ya Toivo.
According to Namibia Press Agency, the visit aimed to explore potential strategies in collaboration with the Otjiwarongo Municipality and various cooperatives for operating the biomass production and renewable energy plant. Ya Toivo highlighted that the project is expected to generate approximately 3,000 jobs over the next two years once operational. The Otjozondjupa Governor, James Uerikua, also expressed enthusiasm about the secured resources necessary for the commencement of production, including funds, human resources, and electricity. Uerikua’s briefing before the site visit emphasized the economic prospects of the facility, especially in the production of animal feed and value-added charcoal from the acacia bush.
During the visit, the delegation noted the completion of the animal feed processing plant, which is now ready for manufacturing. Additionally, a warehouse for storing dried wood has been completed, with only minor final touches remaining. Uerikua discussed the broader environmental goal of reducing bush encroachment on government-owned farms by processing acacia bushes into useful products, thereby clearing land to enhance grass production for livestock.