Namibia, Ethiopia to consolidate, advance cooperation in livestock sector

WINDHOEK, Oct. 25  — Namibia and Ethiopia will consolidate and advance the cooperation in the field of livestock production, processing, marketing and trade for the benefit of the two countries economies, an official said Monday in Windhoek, Namibia’s capital.
Namibia’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform Anna Shiweda said this at the opening of a five-day benchmarking study tour by a visiting Ethiopian government delegation led by State Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture Fikru Regassa Gari.
The delegation is scheduled to visit different agricultural institutions in and around Windhoek to familiarize themselves with the setup of agricultural institutions.
“Agriculture is a key pillar of the economies of many African countries as it remains the economic and social mainstay of the majority of the population in our countries, particularly because 70 percent of the population depends on this sector for its livelihood. I am sure that this economic status of agriculture also applies to Namibia and Ethiopia,” Shiweda said.
Shiweda said that the cooperation in this sector embodies potential mutual benefits for the farmers as it allows them to learn from each other in terms of agricultural policies, strategies, and programs.
“While promoting bilateral cooperation between our two countries, it is also important for us to pursue and explore cooperation avenues and opportunities presented by the South-South Cooperation Framework, and the Africa Continental Free Trade Area Agreement,” she added.
Namibia is ready and willing to share with you information on various farming systems that are being practised in the country, she added.
“Understanding the current meat sector status, identifying the gaps, and taking lessons will help to develop a strategic intervention plan concerning production performance, sanitary and phytosanitary standards, and marketing systems,” Gari said in his opening statement.
This in turn will help us to reach our market destinations to countries with high livestock product demand such as China and other Asian countries, he noted.
“I hope my delegates will take good lessons in livestock production, processing, regulatory practices, and marketing from Namibia that would help Ethiopia to follow the footsteps of Namibia in benefiting from its huge livestock resources,” Gari added.
Namibia currently exports beef to Norway, Britain, the European Union and China. In 2020, Namibia became the first African country to ship red meat to the United States after nearly two decades of negotiations.  (Xinhua)