Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare has inaugurated the N$500 million Gaidip Oasis Agricultural Project near the banks of the Orange River in the ||Kharas Region.

Dr. Ngurare inaugurated the project on behalf of President Netumbo Nandi Ndaitwah. 

The project, spearheaded by Warifo Investments, specialises in palm tree cultivation and high-value crops for export markets, including the United Arab Emirates and Southern countries. 

Phase one of the project began in August last year.

Dr. Ngurare stated that the project signals the type of public-private partnership needed to drive food security, job creation, and rural development in the country.

"We are here today to inaugurate an initiative that strengthens our path towards self-sufficiency, and I was informed that 60,000 palm trees will be grown in the first phase with the aim of producing 5,000 tonnes of dates per year, and Warifo is set to produce a reliable, high-quality set of vegetables such as potatoes, onions, butternut, sweet corn and different varieties of grapes. This project is more than an agricultural initiative; it advances nearly every pillar of the country's administration."

The premier further said that the inauguration of this project demonstrates how private sector investment can accelerate development goals.

Husam Elshafei is the General Manager of Warifo Investment. He said, "We are talking about initial investment with a completely unique design and infrastructure value of the first phase totalling more than N$450 million. In this first phase alone, we are establishing a comprehensive smart irrigation and smart agriculture capable of servicing more than 140 hectares of land and for future expansion. Hence, we have already planted over 12,000 trees alongside preparation for high-value crops, transforming this strategic location into a productive agricultural hub."

The first phase created over 300 jobs, and the number is expected to hit 1,200 when they reach full production.

Prime Minister Ngurare stated that this smart agricultural project has come at the right time, as Namibia wants to reduce import dependence and enhance national self-sufficiency.