Agronomic board prepares to award outstanding producers

The Namibian Agronomic Board (NAB) will hold this year’s National Agronomy and Horticulture Awards (Naha) at Katima Mulilo in the Zambezi region in September.

This was confirmed by NAB spokesperson Liseli Mwilima, who says to kick-start preparations, the board is inviting all registered white maize and mahangu producers in all production zones to register for the awards.

“The awards are for both commercial and communal producers who are registered with the NAB, and who market their crops during the year’s marketing season,” she says.

“The Naha ceremony is aimed at recognising and awarding value chain actors, including the producers, processors, traders, and service providers who have contributed significantly to feeding the nation through the development and growth of the Namibian crop industry,” Mwilima says, adding that other producers are also encouraged to get involved.

Last year’s awards ceremony was held at the Olushandja Marketing Hub in the Omusati region under the theme ‘Enhancing Food Security Amid Climate Change Challenges’, where the NAB donated N$1 million to the Office of the Prime Minister to assist with drought-relief food aid.

Mwilima says the awards, of which the theme is yet to be decided, are divided into two categories, but because of differences in production timelines, the invitation is for white maize and mahangu (agronomic) producers in all production zones for now. An invitation for horticultural producers will be released later.

“Maize and mahangu producers are close to harvesting their crops, with some farmers having already started, and this is the right time for them to submit entries,” she says.

According to Mwilima, once a producer has submitted their entry, which must reach the NAB by 23 April, a committee will be dispatched to assess their farm.

“The producer of white maize or mahangu grain must also submit their expected grain harvest to the NAB, as well as undertake to sell the grain to a grain processor or silos,” she says.

Mwilima says the agronomy producers’ awards are categorised as follows: outstanding white maize producer of the year, outstanding mahangu (pearl millet) producer of the year, emerging white maize producer of the year, and emerging mahangu producer of the year.

She says there are also special awards intended to encourage young people to take up farming.

“These are the outstanding agronomy youth producer of the year, and the outstanding agronomy innovator producer of the year,” Mwilima says.
– email: matthew@namibian.com.na

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