Namibia Minute.
24 April 2026
A daily Namibian brief · Est. 2026
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Person

Romeo Muyunda

Also known as: Muyunda

Deputy Director for Public Relations and Information Services at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform, appointed April 2026.

Agriculture & Land

Namibia launches national food safety coordination committee

The News

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform has officially inaugurated the National Sanitary and Phytosanitary Committee to regulate Namibia's food safety, animal and plant health measures and ensure compliance with international standards. The three-year committee will coordinate science-based measures, facilitate safe trade in agricultural and food products, and strengthen Namibia's participation in regional and multilateral trade systems.

Why it matters

Major institutional development: Namibia's new food safety committee directly protects public health and enables international trade compliance.

1 hour ago · Informanté →

Today

  1. Namibia launches national food safety coordination committee

    The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform has officially inaugurated the National Sanitary and Phytosanitary Committee to regulate Namibia's food safety, animal and plant health measures and ensure compliance with international standards. The three-year committee will coordinate science-based measures, facilitate safe trade in agricultural and food products, and strengthen Namibia's participation in regional and multilateral trade systems.

    1 hour ago · Informanté →

Friday 17 April

  1. Northern cattle price fund approved but not yet implemented

    The agriculture ministry created a price equalisation fund approved by Cabinet in 2024 to help livestock producers north of the veterinary cordon fence, but the Namibia National Farmers Union says implementation has stalled. A ministry spokesperson confirmed a misunderstanding between finance and agriculture ministries diverted initial funding, though N$50 million has been allocated in the 2026/27 budget.

    17 April 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 16 April

  1. Government builds earth dams to secure water and prevent floods

    Namibia's agriculture ministry is implementing floodwater and rainwater harvesting across the country to improve water security and build climate resilience against recurring droughts and floods. Six earth dams have been completed so far out of a target of 17, with additional dams finished in various regions last year.

    16 April 2026 · New Era →

Monday 13 April

  1. Ministry relocates 57.5 tonnes of flood-damaged crops in Zambezi

    The Ministry of Agriculture has begun moving salvageable crops from flood-affected farmers in Zambezi region to higher ground, having already helped 14 farmers relocate their harvests across multiple areas and deployed 10 tractors. The ministry, which is also providing water tanks and sanitation facilities to relocation centres, plans to continue the operation until 17 April and will then review next steps.

    13 April 2026 · The Namibian →

Sunday 12 April

  1. Ministry denies plan to import South African bees

    The agriculture ministry has denied allegations of importing bees from South Africa to boost blueberry harvests, stating that the last application was rejected in 2024 due to South Africa's inability to provide health assurances. The rejection comes amid concerns from local beekeepers and the Namibian Beekeeping Association about threats to native bees and the lack of adequate quarantine systems.

    12 April 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 9 April

  1. Flooding halts locust spray campaign in Zambezi region

    Seasonal flooding has disrupted the Ministry of Agriculture's spraying campaign against a locust outbreak in the Zambezi region that has threatened crop fields and livelihoods since January. By early March, the ministry had sprayed 7,124 hectares of an identified 32,896 hectares using ground teams and drones before floods brought operations to a halt.

    9 April 2026 · New Era →

Wednesday 8 April

  1. Floods delay locust spraying in Namibia's Zambezi region

    The Ministry of Agriculture says seasonal floods in the Zambezi region have halted spraying efforts against locusts that have infested hundreds of crop fields and grazing areas since January. So far, 7,124 of 32,896 hectares of infested areas have been sprayed, and spraying is expected to resume once floodwater subsides.

    8 April 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 7 April

  1. Hardap aquaculture centre reaches 80% of annual fingerling target

    Tilapia fingerling production at Namibia's Hardap Inland Aquaculture Centre has reached about 80% of its annual target despite operational constraints including incomplete infrastructure and limited holding space. The Ministry of Agriculture says it is committed to rehabilitating infrastructure and improving production levels by December this year.

    7 April 2026 · New Era →

Thursday 2 April

  1. Water ministry expands rural access through boreholes and pipelines

    Namibia's water ministry has drilled 94 new boreholes, installed 137 water supply units across all regions, and constructed 55 short pipelines with 2,886 private connections, improving water access in underserved rural communities. The ministry also rehabilitated sanitation facilities and increased access to basic sanitation services to 36.2% nationwide, with rural safe drinking water access rising from 83.5% to 84.9%.

    2 April 2026 · New Era →

Monday 30 March

  1. Gendev sends 90 employees home amid financial crisis

    About 90 permanent employees of Gendev Fishing Group were sent home last week, with no clarity on their status. The move follows the company's earlier notification of a contemplated retrenchment of 489 workers, attributed to sustained financial losses, reduced revenue, and an inadequate quota allocation of 3,351 metric tonnes against the company's 45,000-tonne annual capacity.

    30 March 2026 · New Era →

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