Agribank visits Kavango regions to bolster agricultural development

Agribank is intensifying efforts to support communal and small-scale farmers, with board chairperson Josephat Mwatotele leading a high-level visit to the Kavango East and Kavango West regions last week.

He was joined by the bank’s chief executive, Dr Raphael Karuaihe.



The trip formed part of a broader familiarisation mission aimed at engaging stakeholders, visiting farmers, touring Ministry of Agriculture offices, and assessing selected Green Scheme projects.



During the visit, Mwatotele paid courtesy calls to the governors of Kavango East and Kavango West, Julius Hamunyera Hambyuka and Verna Sinimbo, respectively.



“This is a step out of the office to connect directly with stakeholders, gain insights into challenges and opportunities, and identify areas for collaboration,” Mwatotele said.



He explained that the visit reflects Agribank’s commitment to understanding the realities on the ground, particularly in the face of climate change and shifting agricultural dynamics. He also emphasised that the engagement supports President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s call to prioritise agricultural development as a foundation for food security.



In his remarks, Mwatotele acknowledged the collective role of stakeholders in advancing sustainable agriculture and underscored the need to build on existing successes.



Leveraging gains



“There is a need to leverage the gains made through government agricultural support programmes and interventions by other stakeholders. These achievements provide a strong foundation for Agribank to step in and scale these initiatives to a commercial level,” he said.



He also identified five key building blocks for successful agricultural enterprises: access to productive land, capital, on-the-ground project ownership, technical knowledge, and market access.



“Satisfying these elements requires coordinated efforts,” Mwatotele said. “When farmers are organised and capacitated, and players across the value chain share risks, it becomes easier to mobilise and channel capital to communal agriculture projects.”



Mwatotele concluded by assuring both governors that Agribank is ready to partner with local stakeholders to align resources and share risk in support of building a sustainable and climate-resilient agricultural sector.



Bespoke solutions



Governor Verna Sinimbo of Kavango West welcomed Agribank’s approach and encouraged the institution to tailor its financial and advisory services to the needs of smallholder and emerging horticulture farmers.



“This will support our region’s development goal of promoting horticulture for economic growth, food security, and employment creation,” she said.



Governor Hambyuka of Kavango East echoed her sentiments and urged the commencement of groundwork to design tailored and impactful agricultural projects.



“We must explore what is feasible and focus efforts on initiatives that meaningfully enhance food production,” he stated.



In closing, Agribank CEO Dr Karuaihe told the regional leaders that the institution is undergoing a strategic transformation to implement a new business model.

He said the model will focus on innovative, needs-based product solutions designed to make financing more accessible, relevant, and impactful, especially for communal farmers.