NCA farmers Face Data, Market, and Policy Challenges
Solving NCA Livestock Production Challenges
Farmers in Namibia’s Northern Communal Areas (NCA) continue to face significant challenges in linking livestock production to markets, maintaining animal health, and accessing infrastructure and finance, according to Kristian Hango, Board Member of the Namibia National Farmers Union.
Hango, who spoke at the Agri Outlook conference in October, highlighted disparities between livestock production and market offtake in FMD-protected zones, noting that much of the livestock produced does not reach the market. Weak links in the value chain limit efficiency, and addressing roughly 20 percent of issues could resolve 80 percent of challenges. Profitability in markets, rather than the creation of additional abattoirs, was identified as a key priority. He also noted slow progress in accessing international markets such as Qatar, as well as limited implementation of the equalization fund and the Code of Good Practice.
Primary Production and Animal Health
Hango emphasized learning from practical experience and highlighted the central importance of primary production for the NCA. Key components include fodder production, feedlotting, and on-farm holding. He also emphasized value addition, product development, and diversification as essential to linking production with domestic, regional, and international markets.
Namibia has three animal health zones: FMD-protected, FMD-infected, and FMD-free zones. Hango focused on the FMD-protected zones, noting the gap between livestock populations and the proportion reaching markets. He said understanding these disparities is critical for addressing inefficiencies and improving productivity.
Hango highlighted weak links in the livestock value chain, including insufficient technician support for farmers and limited opportunities for value addition. Without addressing these gaps, benefits are unevenly distributed, limiting farmers’ ability to reinvest in inputs and improve production. Domestic markets are underutilized due to limited capacity or geographic distance from local buyers. Regional markets offer opportunities to absorb locally produced products, while international markets, such as Qatar, remain underexploited despite prior discussions.
Policy and Market Challenges
Hango identified policy and regulatory issues as major constraints for NCA farmers. He noted that the Code of Good Practice, introduced in 2021, has seen limited implementation. The policy prioritizes local production before sourcing externally. Zones and compartments, designed to contain disease outbreaks and maintain animal health standards, require effective management. Hango also highlighted the need for equalization funds to ensure that NCA farmers receive comparable prices and benefits to farmers in other regions, given similar input costs and production conditions.
He noted that even with an enabling policy environment, farming remains challenging if data is insufficient or if market and production issues are not addressed. Markets should pull production rather than production being created without clear demand, Hango said, emphasizing the importance of aligning production with market needs to maintain efficiency and sustainability.
Proposed Solutions and Success Factors
Hango identified several solutions and success factors for improving farming in the NCA. Improving animal health was highlighted as foundational. Feedlots are necessary but dependent on sufficient fodder production. Hango suggested considering the use of growth hormones to support livestock productivity when targeting local and regional markets.
Addressing human-wildlife conflicts, improving commodity-based trade procedures, enhancing access to finance, and developing infrastructure - including transport and storage facilities - were also listed as critical enablers for farmers to connect production with markets.
Hango emphasized that primary production issues should be addressed first, noting that secondary production can follow once primary production is strengthened. He said that aligning production with market demand is essential for efficiency, and that addressing weak links in the value chain and improving market access are critical for sustainable farming in the NCA.
Hango, who spoke at the Agri Outlook conference in October, highlighted disparities between livestock production and market offtake in FMD-protected zones, noting that much of the livestock produced does not reach the market. Weak links in the value chain limit efficiency, and addressing roughly 20 percent of issues could resolve 80 percent of challenges. Profitability in markets, rather than the creation of additional abattoirs, was identified as a key priority. He also noted slow progress in accessing international markets such as Qatar, as well as limited implementation of the equalization fund and the Code of Good Practice.
Primary Production and Animal Health
Hango emphasized learning from practical experience and highlighted the central importance of primary production for the NCA. Key components include fodder production, feedlotting, and on-farm holding. He also emphasized value addition, product development, and diversification as essential to linking production with domestic, regional, and international markets.
Namibia has three animal health zones: FMD-protected, FMD-infected, and FMD-free zones. Hango focused on the FMD-protected zones, noting the gap between livestock populations and the proportion reaching markets. He said understanding these disparities is critical for addressing inefficiencies and improving productivity.
Hango highlighted weak links in the livestock value chain, including insufficient technician support for farmers and limited opportunities for value addition. Without addressing these gaps, benefits are unevenly distributed, limiting farmers’ ability to reinvest in inputs and improve production. Domestic markets are underutilized due to limited capacity or geographic distance from local buyers. Regional markets offer opportunities to absorb locally produced products, while international markets, such as Qatar, remain underexploited despite prior discussions.
Policy and Market Challenges
Hango identified policy and regulatory issues as major constraints for NCA farmers. He noted that the Code of Good Practice, introduced in 2021, has seen limited implementation. The policy prioritizes local production before sourcing externally. Zones and compartments, designed to contain disease outbreaks and maintain animal health standards, require effective management. Hango also highlighted the need for equalization funds to ensure that NCA farmers receive comparable prices and benefits to farmers in other regions, given similar input costs and production conditions.
He noted that even with an enabling policy environment, farming remains challenging if data is insufficient or if market and production issues are not addressed. Markets should pull production rather than production being created without clear demand, Hango said, emphasizing the importance of aligning production with market needs to maintain efficiency and sustainability.
Proposed Solutions and Success Factors
Hango identified several solutions and success factors for improving farming in the NCA. Improving animal health was highlighted as foundational. Feedlots are necessary but dependent on sufficient fodder production. Hango suggested considering the use of growth hormones to support livestock productivity when targeting local and regional markets.
Addressing human-wildlife conflicts, improving commodity-based trade procedures, enhancing access to finance, and developing infrastructure - including transport and storage facilities - were also listed as critical enablers for farmers to connect production with markets.
Hango emphasized that primary production issues should be addressed first, noting that secondary production can follow once primary production is strengthened. He said that aligning production with market demand is essential for efficiency, and that addressing weak links in the value chain and improving market access are critical for sustainable farming in the NCA.
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