Namibia Agricultural Union — farmers' advocacy organization representing 2,075 main members, providing sector forecasts and livestock industry coordination.
Namibia Agricultural Unionhas affiliatePoultry Producers' Association
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“He said the association, which is affiliated to the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU), has 28 members, with a number of prospective members having expressed interest in joining.”
Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU)has advisedusers to consider short-term contracts and hardware rental options
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“The NAU has advised users to consider short-term contracts, hardware rental options, and collaborative arrangements with neighbouring farmers to achieve cost-effective and high-speed connectivity.”
Namibia Agricultural UnionpledgedN$3 million annually for fund coordination and farmer training
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“The Namibia Agricultural Union pledged N$3 million annually, to be spent in coordination, management of the fund, and awareness training for farmers.”
Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU)pledgedannual contribution of N$3 million for coordination, management, and awareness initiatives
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“Agrimark with N$200,000, and the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU) with an annual contribution of N$3 million for coordination, management, and awareness initiatives.”
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.
Why it matters
The LPO urging farmers to strengthen biosecurity against foot-and-mouth disease protects Namibia's livestock sector and critical export markets.
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.
The Agricultural Employers' Association of Namibia reports that 2025 saw relative stability on commercial farms with few labour disputes, but cautions that the national minimum wage—set to rise from N$10 per hour in 2025 to N$18 by 2027—poses financial challenges for farmers who already provide workers with housing, water, electricity, and transport. At its 2025 congress, the AEA mandated negotiations with government to include farmworker benefits in the minimum wage calculation and to explore legal options if necessary.
The Namibia Agricultural Union forecasts modest growth in Namibia's agricultural sector for 2026, fueled by normal to above-normal rainfall and recovery efforts in livestock herds. The cattle sector is expected to see marketing volumes grow by 20% to 30%, while poultry and horticulture sectors show strong expansion, though challenges including foot-and-mouth disease and feed cost volatility persist.
The Namibia Agricultural Union has announced that the Livestock and Livestock Products Board of Namibia has approved a 15% subsidy for the lumpy skin disease vaccine, available to registered livestock producers on a first-come, first-served basis with effect from 1 February 2026. Claims are limited to 350 doses per producer per subsidy period, with payment made within one month of verification.
Producer prices for lamb and sheep rose by 22.92% and 27.43% respectively in 2025, but these gains did not fully cover rising production costs. The price increases were not driven by higher volumes—sheep marketing and exports actually declined due to drought-induced destocking and weak external demand, with sheep marketing dropping 40.85% in the first half of 2025.
Namibia's poultry industry is expanding with new processing plants and breeder-hatchery systems, and SME production of 60,000 broilers weekly, but the country still imports over 11,388 tons in the first half of 2025—about 30% of domestic consumption. The Namibia Agricultural Union forecasts continued growth supported by increased capacity and improved biosecurity, though feed cost volatility and avian influenza risks remain challenges.
Live cattle exports to South Africa declined sharply by approximately 76% in 2025 due to insufficient market-ready animals after years of environmental stress, but the Namibia Agricultural Union expects marketing volumes to recover modestly by 20-30% in 2026 as herd rebuilding stabilizes, with cattle prices remaining elevated across all categories.