NAU broadens its structures

THE Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU) has decided to broaden its structures to make it more accessible for potential new black members.

This decision was based on the principle of free association where every farmer can choose to affiliate with a farmers’ association (FA) or (regional) agricultural union of his or her choice. Membership fees will be lowered at entry level.’The NAU currently has a phasing-in programme, where farmers who have never been NAU members can phase in at an existing farmers’ association over a period of four years,’ the Union’s latest newsletter said on Friday. ‘This is still the priority option of the NAU and it also caused a growth of 114 new members joining the NAU since March this year. However, it seems that numerous previously disadvantaged farmers are reluctant to join the NAU due to the membership fee and other socio-economic factors.’ Against this background the NAU Executive Council has decided that farmers’ associations consisting of black farmers who would like to affiliate with the NAU in future can integrate with existing regional agricultural unions at a special tariff. The condition is that members of these associations must have a vision to become full and equal commercial farmers and they must have a membership list.The benefit for these FAs is that they would be able to take part in the activities of the regional agricultural union and thus also have part in the communication structures of the NAU. Depending on external or donor funds, these FAs can also participate in training and mentorship programmes that the NAU gained experience in while managing the EU-supported Emerging Commercial Farmers Support Programme.If two or more farmers’ associations consisting of previously disadvantaged farmers should decide to establish their own regional agricultural union, they can do this under special conditions and approval of the NAU Executive Council.