WINDHOEK, July 22 — The Namibian Agronomic Board (NAB) has stressed the importance of boosting rice production as a means to reduce import dependence, improve national food security, and support rural economic development, particularly in regions with suitable water resources such as Zambezi, Kavango, and north-central Namibia.
In its Rice Market Intelligence report, obtained by local media on Monday, the NAB said Namibia‘s domestic rice production remains extremely limited, forcing the country to rely heavily on imports to meet growing consumer demand.
“There is a pressing need to introduce large-scale rice production in Namibia to address the increasing demand,” the NAB said in the report.
According to the report, Namibia imported 28,317 tons of rice, valued at 314.1 million Namibian dollars (about 17.7 million U.S. dollars) in 2022, the highest from 2019 to 2022.
The average annual consumption stood at 26,667 tons between 2018 and 2022, with only minimal local production emerging, the report said.
Local production has been marked as a strategic opportunity to reduce reliance on imports, improve food security, and support economic development.
“Developing local rice production would create market opportunities for Namibian farmers and enhance the country’s self-sufficiency in grain production,” the report said.
The NAB also highlights the importance of expanding rice cultivation to strengthen Namibia‘s role in the Southern African Development Community, where regional rice imports average over three million tons annually.
“To fully seize these opportunities, it is essential to establish a comprehensive information and knowledge base on global, continental, and regional rice production and marketing trends,” the report said.
In Namibia, rice is not a traditional staple crop, but consumption has increased steadily over the years, particularly in urban areas.
The country relies heavily on imports to meet domestic demand, sourcing most of its rice from South Africa, China, and Thailand. (Xinhua)
