The Namibian Agronomic Board (NAB) and the University of Namibia (UNAM) renewed their strategic partnership aimed at enhancing food security and advancing research, innovation and capacity building in the country’s agriculture sector. 

The agreement, valued at N$19 million, was signed today in Windhoek and will be implemented over a period of three years.

The purpose of the new agreement is to design, implement and support research activities that enhance the local production, processing, preservation, storage, and marketing of both controlled and non-controlled agronomic and horticultural crops. 

Possible collaboration areas for the two institutions include the establishment of two crop research stations estimated at a value of N$10 million that will be used to do research in the areas of plant breeding, crop management, pest and disease control and soil health.

Other areas are seed research and production, estimated at a cost of N$7 million, and agro-processing and storage of perishable products through a pilot project valued at N$1 million. 

Capacity building in the form of developing and implementing staff training projects, sharing information through seminars, conferences, and short courses, and providing partial scholarships is estimated at a cost of N$800,000. 

This phase includes developing and sourcing technologies and innovations that will enhance the implementation process, which is expected to cost N$200,000.