Namibian farmers' union engaged in livestock sector advocacy, disease prevention, rural crime prevention, and wage survey coordination across agricultural regions.
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September 2026
The Namibian
Namibia Agricultural Unionpublisheda survey report on farmworker remuneration and labour management
Source
“The survey report, published in the latest issue of the Namibia Agricultural Union newsletter, says various aspects of the remuneration structure and labour management of farmworkers were examined and analysed at national and regional level.”
Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU)attendeda round table conference and FMD Symposium in Pretoria
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“A delegation from the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU) and its affiliate the Livestock Producers Organisation (LPO) recently attended a round table conference hosted by the Trust in Animals and Food Safety (TAFS) Forum and the Swiss embassy, as well as the Octavoscene FMD Symposium in Pretoria, South Africa.”
Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU)signed a Memorandum of Understanding withOffice of the Prime Minister to strengthen disaster preparedness
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“THE Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) and the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen disaster preparedness and resilience in Namibia's agricultural sector.”
Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU)estimatedcost of exporting 800-goat truckload in 2026 at about N$388,155
Source
“According to the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU), the estimated cost of exporting an 800-goat truckload in 2026 amounts to about N$388 155, translating to approximately N$485 per goat.”
Namibia Agricultural Unionestablisheda fund for fighting foot-and-mouth disease
Source
“The Namibia Agricultural Union, the Namibia National Farmers' Union, the Namibia Emerging Commercial Farmers' Union and the Previously Disadvantaged Namibian Farmers' Union at the launch came together under the theme 'One Nation. One Herd. One Responsibility' and established a fund for the fight against FMD.”
Namibia Agricultural Unionsigned10-year memorandum with NAMPOL and three other farmers' unions
Source
“The agreement, signed at Police National Headquarters, brings together the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU), Namibia Emerging Commercial Farmers' Union (NECFU), Namibia National Farmers' Union (NNFU) and Previously Disadvantaged Namibians' Farmers' Union (PDNFU) in a joint effort to improve rural safety.”
NAU president Thinus Pretoriussaid at the eventleadership campaign and FMD Support Fund were complementary outcomes of partnership
Source
“NAU president Thinus Pretorius at the event said the leadership campaign and the FMD Support Fund were the complementary outcomes of that partnership, and emphasised that the interconnected nature of the livestock sector means a weakness anywhere in the value chain becomes a risk to everyone.”
Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU)signed10-year agreement with police and three other farmers' organisations to prevent stock theft
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“The police and four farmers' organisations have signed a 10-year agreement to strengthen efforts to prevent stock theft and other crimes affecting farmers across the country.”
The Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU)reminded farmers and the public to comply withlegal documentation requirements for transporting livestock, meat, game products, warthogs and warthog meat
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“THE Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU) has reminded farmers and the public to comply with legal documentation requirements when transporting livestock, meat, game products, as well as warthogs and warthog meat, warning that failure to comply could result in enforcement action.”
The NAUwarned thathunting permits do not replace veterinary authorisation required for warthog product movement
Source
“A hunting permit, permit for own use or donation letter does not replace the veterinary authorisation required for the movement of warthog products, the organisation warned.”
The Agricultural Employers' Association says compulsory benefits make farmworker remuneration higher than other sectors, citing a survey of 420 employers covering over 3,000 workers across all regions. The survey found average farmworker basic salary at N$3,599.69 per month (N$18.46 per hour), up 22.8% from 2024, and reports a 4% employment decline in the sector.
The Agricultural Employers' Association says compulsory benefits make farmworker remuneration higher than other sectors, citing a survey of 420 employers covering over 3,000 workers across all regions. The survey found average farmworker basic salary at N$3,599.69 per month (N$18.46 per hour), up 22.8% from 2024, and reports a 4% employment decline in the sector.
South Africa's Agriculture Minister said South Africa is dealing with its largest-ever foot-and-mouth disease outbreak but bringing it increasingly under control, and has provided 50,000 vaccine doses each to Namibia, Eswatini and Lesotho to strengthen regional preparedness.
Delegates from the Namibia Agricultural Union and Livestock Producers Organisation attended meetings in Pretoria to discuss foot-and-mouth disease control and regional FMD management, concluding that success depends on stronger public-private partnerships, improved data sharing, honest communication, and a possible vaccinated buffer zone along the South Africa-Namibia border.
The Office of the Prime Minister and Namibia Agricultural Union have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen disaster preparedness and resilience in the agricultural sector, establishing a framework for collaboration in responding to veld fires, drought, and animal disease outbreaks.
André Rossouw Trust, Namibia's largest goat exporter, has withdrawn from the live-goat export market, citing rising costs—including testing, permits, and transport—that make up about 30% of the average auction price and logistical challenges such as delays in test results. The withdrawal affects the KwaZulu-Natal market in South Africa and poses concerns for emerging and communal farmers dependent on the goat trade.
Namibian live goat exporters must meet strict animal health requirements including testing for Brucella melitensis to access the South African market, which takes roughly 98% of Namibia's exported goats; however, compliance costs estimated at N$485 per animal—roughly 30% of average auction price—erode profits for communal farmers who depend heavily on this market.
Young people at Otjombinde are clearing bush along the Namibia-Botswana border to erect a fence and prevent cattle movement that could spread foot-and-mouth disease, with about 70 community members assigned to the effort as part of government efforts to protect Namibia's FMD-free status.
The Namibian Police Force and four farmers' unions—NAU, NECFU, NNFU, and PDNFU—have signed a 10-year memorandum of understanding to strengthen cooperation in preventing crimes affecting farmers, particularly stock theft, building on a previous 2020 agreement between police and the NAU.
Four Namibian farmers' organisations are raising at least N$50 million to help the government prevent foot-and-mouth disease, with N$12 million already pledged by unions, agribusinesses and financial institutions. The initiative responds to FMD threats in the SADC region and reflects the view that disease prevention is a shared national responsibility.
Namibia's four farmers' unions have launched a campaign to raise N$50 million to protect the livestock industry from Foot-and-Mouth Disease, with more than N$12 million already pledged from farmers' unions, agribusinesses, financial institutions and industry partners. The initiative warns that a single FMD outbreak could cripple export markets, threaten rural livelihoods and damage the national economy.
The Namibian Police and four farmers' organisations have signed a 10-year agreement to strengthen efforts to prevent stock theft and crimes affecting farmers. The partnership, which replaces a 2020 agreement that ended in March 2024, brings together the police, the Namibia Agricultural Union, the Namibia Emerging Commercial Farmers' Union, the Namibia National Farmers' Union, and the Previously Disadvantaged Namibians' Farmers' Union to work on prevention, detection, and reduction of crimes in rural areas.
The Namibia Agricultural Union has reminded farmers and the public to comply with legal documentation requirements when transporting livestock, meat, game products, warthogs and warthog meat, warning that non-compliance could result in enforcement action. Required documents include veterinary movement permits, removal certificates, and proof of lawful origin and ownership.
Zambia has lifted its export ban on maize grain and maize meal, allowing Namibian businesses to resume imports through the Zambian Commodities Exchange (ZAMACE) platform. The move, notified to Namibia's agricultural sector through official channels, is expected to improve access to maize supplies for Namibia.
The Livestock Producers Organisation has called on Namibian farmers to tighten biosecurity measures and comply with animal health regulations to protect against foot-and-mouth disease, which poses a threat to the country's livestock sector and export markets. The LPO chairperson warned that the disease remains an immediate threat at Namibia's borders and that maintaining access to international markets depends on farmers' adherence to strict farming practices and biosecurity protocols.
The Agricultural Employers' Association received 421 completed questionnaires in its 2026 Wage Survey, representing 20.3% of the Namibia Agricultural Union's 2,075 main members. Regional participation rates varied widely, from 31.8% in the South-Western region to as low as 11.3% in Karasburg, with some farmers' associations recording no submissions.
According to the Namibia Agricultural Union, value in Namibia's meat sector is primarily created on farms through animal health, genetics, and resource management, not after slaughter. The sector has retained 84% of livestock weight at local or export abattoirs in 2025 compared to 52% a decade ago, demonstrating that value addition is already happening at scale within the country.
Namibia is self-sufficient in eggs and meets over 85% of its poultry demand through domestic production, which grew to a production value of N$1.74 billion in 2024 and is projected to expand further. The Poultry Producers' Association noted significant growth potential, though the sector faces supply gaps in processed poultry products and seeks export opportunities leveraging the country's disease-free status.
Meatco's interim CEO met with the Livestock Producers Organisation to discuss strengthening transparency, communication, and partnership across Namibia's red meat value chain. The engagement emphasised rebuilding trust between processors and cattle producers to improve sector performance and maintain global competitiveness.
Global geopolitical conflicts are raising fertiliser, fuel, and feed costs for Namibian farmers and disrupting supply chains, according to an Agricultural Economist from the Namibia Agricultural Union. The sector's heavy reliance on imported inputs and interconnected regional markets leaves it vulnerable to international instability, with lessons learned from fertiliser price surges during the Russia–Ukraine war.
CRAN has authorised four local providers—Echo Namibia, Oblixx, RocketNet, and Blue Technologies—to operate LEO satellite internet services via OneWeb, bringing broadband-quality connectivity to rural areas as traditional telecommunications infrastructure deteriorates. Farmers and remote communities are key beneficiaries, with providers offering tailored packages and cost-effective options including hardware rental and collaborative arrangements.
Namibia's Directorate of Veterinary Services has imposed an immediate ban on imports of cloven-hoofed animals and related products from designated zones in Botswana following confirmed foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks. The directorate has also suspended poultry and poultry products from Argentina's Buenos Aires province due to highly pathogenic avian influenza.
Namibia has launched an FMD Support Fund and Task Force to protect its N$15 billion livestock industry from Foot-and-Mouth Disease, with 11 partners pledging nearly N$13 million. The effort aims to strengthen surveillance, border biosecurity, and response capacity amid heightened risk from FMD outbreaks in neighbouring countries.
Namibia's newly established foot-and-mouth disease support fund, organized by farmers' unions, the Directorate of Veterinary Services, and the Livestock and Livestock Products Board of Namibia, has raised N$12.76 million from corporations and unions to strengthen biosecurity and emergency response. The fund aims to raise N$50 million to complement N$57 million allocated by the agriculture ministry for awareness, prevention, and rapid response efforts.
Private and public sector partners have pledged over N$11.2 million towards a newly launched Foot and Mouth Disease Support Fund targeting N$50 million to strengthen Namibia's prevention capacity, veterinary surveillance, and outbreak response. The move comes as Namibia faces increasing FMD risk from neighbouring South Africa and Botswana, with a national FMD Task Force established to coordinate prevention and containment strategies.
Namibia has reaffirmed that its foot-and-mouth disease-free status without vaccination is essential for protecting export markets and the agricultural economy, warning that unauthorized vaccine use could jeopardize this standing and result in severe financial losses. The country manages FMD risk through strict movement controls, surveillance, and border measures, with vaccination reserved only for outbreaks under veterinary authority, as the no-vaccination policy in the free zone allows access to high-value international meat markets.
Namibia's Ministry of Agriculture has established the Foot-and-Mouth Disease Support Fund and FMD Task Force to protect the livestock sector against potential outbreaks, with private sector pledges including N$2 million each from Bank Windhoek and FirstRand, and N$3 million annually from the Namibia Agricultural Union. The initiatives will support vaccination campaigns, border biosecurity, veterinary infrastructure, and farmer awareness programmes to safeguard Namibia's N$15 billion livestock industry.
Namibia's livestock industry has launched a privately-funded Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) Support Fund to strengthen prevention and emergency response measures, amid regional FMD cases in South Africa and Botswana that could threaten the country's N$15 billion livestock sector. The fund, led by four national farmers' unions, seeks N$50 million in private contributions to support veterinary authorities and coordinate industry action against potential outbreaks.
Foot-and-mouth disease cases in South Africa's Northern Cape and Botswana pose a significant risk to Namibia's livestock industry, valued at N$15 billion. The government has approved N$57.5 million for prevention but says N$1.5 billion more is needed to strengthen protective measures and maintain international market access.
Following Foot-and-Mouth Disease outbreaks in neighbouring countries, Namibia's agricultural sector has restructured its FMD response framework to enhance coordination between government and private stakeholders, with focus on surveillance and disinfection measures in high-risk border areas to maintain the country's FMD-free status.
The Namibia Agricultural Union reports that the poultry sector is the second-largest contributor to farmers' cash receipts, with broiler production up 14.94% in 2024 and egg production up 6.63%. Growth is expected to continue in 2025, though the sector faces challenges from high input costs, climate variability, and animal health risks including potential avian influenza spillover from South Africa.