Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.
March 2026
The Namibian
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform spokesperson Romeo Muyundasaysaffected workers had been placed with other employers in fishing sector
Source
“Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform spokesperson Romeo Muyunda says the affected workers had already been considered under the government redress programme and placed with other employers in the fishing sector.”
Agriculture ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyundaissued a joint statementdescribing the employment redress quota plan
Source
“"Each company will be granted an employment redress quota aligning with the number of workers they employ in support of job creation measures by the government," says a joint statement issued by agriculture ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda.”
Fisheries ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyundastated that the Government plansto reintegrate 222 employees into the fishing industry
Source
“According to a statement issued by the Fisheries ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda, the Government plans to reintegrate 222 employees into the fishing industry through agreements with four interested companies.”
Romeo Muyundaserved asCorporate Communications Manager at the Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia
Source
“Prior to his appointment, he served as Corporate Communications Manager at the Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia and previously held the position of Chief Public Relations Officer at the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism.”
EIF spokesperson Romeo Muyundasaid the IREMA project benefittedan estimated 68,600 people
Source
“The project achieved far-reaching impact, benefitting an estimated 68 600 people, including 15 347 direct beneficiaries and 53 253 indirect beneficiaries, significantly exceeding the original target of 21 000 people.”
Investment fund spokesperson Romeo Muyundasaysprogramme originated as EIF-led innovation and pilot project in 2022
Source
“"The programme originated as an EIF-led innovation and pilot project in 2022, aimed at responding to longstanding water access challenges affecting rural communities," Muyunda says.”
EIF spokesperson Romeo Muyundasaysthe initiative was done in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform
Source
“EIF spokesperson Romeo Muyunda says the initiative was done in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform, which allocated a budget of N$40 million to support the planning and design of appropriate, site-specific water treatment solutions.”
The Fisheries Ministry is investigating reports of dead fish washed ashore at Henties Bay and has urged the public not to consume them until the cause is determined. Samples have been collected for scientific analysis to establish the underlying cause and extent of the mortalities.
The Fisheries Ministry is investigating reports of dead fish washed ashore at Henties Bay and has urged the public not to consume them until the cause is determined. Samples have been collected for scientific analysis to establish the underlying cause and extent of the mortalities.
Dead fish were found offshore and along the coastline at Henties Bay on Wednesday morning. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform has collected samples for testing to determine the cause, affected species, and extent of the deaths, while advising the public not to consume the dead fish.
Kavango East governor Julius Hambyuka says government-run green schemes in the region are showing signs of improved production, with some now fully operational, though several still lack enough equipment and farming implements. The region's six green schemes currently receive central funding, and the Ministry of Agriculture acknowledges equipment shortages due to budget constraints and is prioritising purchasing more supplies.
The Ministry of Agriculture has formally terminated its Remote Sensing Agricultural Services Agreement with 6th Grain Corporation, which aimed to implement an AI and satellite imagery-driven crop monitoring system. The ministry's spokesperson stated the decision followed a review that found the agreement did not meet requisite legal and procedural requirements for government contracts.
The government has cancelled its agreement with US-based 6th Grain Corporation for an AI and satellite imagery-driven crop monitoring system. The agriculture ministry said the review found the agreement did not meet required legal and procedural requirements.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform has intensified a nationwide campaign to remove illegal fences erected on communal land, with operations underway in multiple regions since 2025. Since the start of 2025, twelve illegal fences covering approximately 6,914 hectares have been removed across Kavango East, Kavango West, and Omaheke regions, with further removals expected in Oshikoto and other communal areas.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform has admitted that 912 beneficiaries under the Government Employment Redress Programme are not actively employed, out of 2,255 total beneficiaries, following criticism from the Institute for Public Policy Research that the programme has failed to deliver meaningful employment for fisheries workers affected by the Fishrot corruption scandal.
A N$39 million contract awarded to US agricultural technology company 6th Grain to implement an artificial intelligence-driven crop monitoring system for Namibia has sparked public debate over the procurement process and how the agreement was communicated, with the announcement made first by the US Embassy rather than the Namibian government.
The International University of Management's Institute of Water Resource Management says it can help Namibia address water management challenges and integrate knowledge-sharing as the country prepares to host the 2028 World Basin Summit of the International Network Basins Organisation.
Namibia's Ministry of Agriculture and China's General Administration of Customs have signed a Protocol establishing phytosanitary requirements for fresh Namibian table grapes to access the Chinese market, with provisions for orchard registration, pest management, facility approval, and compliance checks.
The Ministry of Agriculture is preparing to construct a veterinary cordon fence along the Namibia–South Africa border to safeguard the livestock sector and prevent the spread of Foot-and-Mouth Disease, with contractors invited to bid by 14 July 2026. The fence is intended to control livestock movement across the border and reduce the risk of transboundary animal diseases that could have serious economic implications for Namibia's livestock industry.
Namibia will host the 2028 International Network of Basin Organizations World Basin Summit in Windhoek, a selection that recognises the country's leadership in sustainable water management and positions it at the centre of international discussions on water security and climate resilience.
The agriculture ministry spokesperson said that the ministry does not decide which schools receive boreholes; that selection rests with the education ministry, which funds the programme while agriculture provides technical support during implementation.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform denied reports claiming it deemed removal of the Veterinary Cordon Fence (Red Line) impossible, stating that gradual removal aligned with the Second National Land Conference resolution remains official policy, supported by investments in veterinary infrastructure and ongoing reviews of policy frameworks.
Fisheries Minister Inge Zaamwani met with UN Environment Programme Executive Director Inger Andersen to discuss Namibia's environmental challenges and marine conservation goals. Namibia currently has approximately 1.7 per cent marine protection coverage and aims to reach 11 to 12 per cent by 2030, with five marine protected areas already declared and two further areas planned.
The Ministry of Fisheries has allocated a portion of the horse mackerel quota to Etosha Fishing Corporation. The ministry's spokesperson said the allocation, which followed an employee protest over lack of quota allocations, was not a result of the demonstration but part of the Government's long-standing intervention to support employment and economic activity linked to the former pilchard sector.
The agriculture ministry is transforming the 140-hectare Ekoka brownfield in Ohangwena into an irrigated green scheme to boost food security. Currently at an initial stage with trial crops planted and four boreholes drilled, the project is transitioning from rain-fed to irrigation-based farming while feasibility studies on water and soil quality are underway.
Namibia's fisheries ministry says quota holders may enter private commercial agreements with third parties to use allocated quotas, a practice it characterizes as private business arrangements. The statement follows a disputed agreement between a DRC-linked entity and Namibian fishing companies over horse mackerel quota.
Officials from the Ministry of Agriculture are conducting spraying operations against locust swarms detected in the Maltahöhe District and other areas of Hardap and Erongo regions, with swarms estimated at 5,000 to 10,000 locusts. Early response is critical to prevent damage to crops and horticultural activities before the locusts become fully airborne.
A desert locust outbreak has been detected in parts of Erongo and Hardap, with swarms destroying grazing and vegetation across at least 15 farms covering 300–400 square kilometres. The Ministry of Agriculture says the locusts are in the flying stage, making control difficult, and has deployed vehicle-mounted sprayers to contain the outbreak.
Progress Farming Co. faces possible charges for advertising the auctioning of Farm Neu Progress No. 506 in Khomas without the Ministry of Agriculture's approval. The ministry says the advertisement falsely claimed the farm is open to international buyers without government approval, contradicting Namibian agricultural land transaction laws.
The Ministry of Agriculture has clarified that farm Neu Progress in the Khomas region lies within expanded Windhoek local authority boundaries established in 2011, meaning the Agricultural (Commercial) Land Reform Act of 1995 does not apply to it, and provisions including the government's right of first refusal and ministerial consent for foreign ownership are not applicable.
The Namibian Navy apprehended the foreign vessel Fu Yuan Yu 9878 near the Angolan border for illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, with the vessel fully loaded with fish and its Automatic Identification System disabled. The 22-member crew, comprising four Chinese and 18 Angolan nationals, was detained, and a Ministry spokesperson stated the government is committed to protecting Namibia's fisheries resources and enforcing its regulations.
The Global Water Partnership Organisation has relocated its headquarters from Sweden to Windhoek, with operations expected to commence on 23 May following a headquarters agreement signed with the Namibian government. The GWPO chief executive described the move as historic, marking the first time a global intergovernmental water organisation will be headquartered in the Global South.
Pilchard bycatch has risen sharply from 608 tonnes in 2020 to more than 11,000 tonnes in both 2024 and 2025, with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform warning that increasing bycatch could threaten marine biodiversity and fish stocks if not properly managed.
The government may have lost N$157.5 million from 17,500 tonnes of hake caught as bycatch by 15 horse mackerel freezer trawlers in 2025. The Ministry of Agriculture has admitted that current penalties may not be stopping repeat offenders, with hake bycatch in the horse mackerel fishery increasing sharply from 3,203 tonnes in 2020 to 17,500 tonnes in 2025.
Agriculture minister Inge Zaamwani has questioned a N$179 million quotation from August 26 Construction for a 400-kilometre border fence project along the Namibia-South Africa border aimed at containing foot-and-mouth disease, citing cost concerns and procurement issues.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform has clarified that a temporary relaxation of trawling restrictions for wet-landed horse mackerel applies only between latitudes 22° South and 24° South, allowing trawling in waters shallower than 200 meters down to 150 meters from May 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027. The ministry said exclusive offshore areas for the subsector south of latitude 22° South have not yet been finalised and will be identified after consultations with the fishing industry.
Namibia's Cabinet has approved a temporary 12-month change allowing wet-landed horse mackerel trawling within shallower waters (down to 150 metres depth) between latitudes 22°S and 24°S, effective May 2026. The Ministry of Fisheries will identify exclusive fishing zones for the subsector after consulting the industry and stakeholders.
The Ministry of Fisheries has restricted a temporary relaxation of trawling in waters shallower than the 200-metre isobath to a defined zone between latitudes 22°S and 24°S, applying only to the wet-landed horse mackerel subsector. The clarification was issued to address confusion about how Cabinet's decision would be applied, with further zone specifications and consultations to follow.