Steven Klukowski

KEETMANSHOOP – Industrialisation deputy minister Verna Sinimbo has advised management at the Naute irrigation project to place their main focus on the marketing of produce harvested at the agricultural project. 

“After visiting these two Industrial Development Agency (NIDA) projects, I can now, without hesitation, report back that the ministry is happy at the current pace they are managed,” she said during a recent visit to the project in the //Kharas region. 
Sinimbo, however, added there was still room for improvement to increase production and furthermore the diversification of produce at the Naute scheme.  

“These employees have the needed zeal for business development despite the various challenges posed by Covid-19,” she added. 
“Value addition to the produce grown here is of utmost importance in terms of government’s vision to make Namibia an industrialised country by 2030 and what I observed here at the Naute Kristall Distillery is highly commendable, whereby pulp and juices extracted from dates and prickly pears are used for producing alcoholic gins and liquors for export purposes.” 

Sinimbo further expressed her sincere hope that production lines would be extended and also that more similar projects will see the light in the region to create more jobs and inject much needed capital for //Kharas. 

“When achieving this goal, you will now also be in a position to have enough produce to supply local demand and further export some for purposes of income generation, provided you have established ideal markets for it,” Sinimbo said. 
Acting head of the Naute project Simon Akwenye indicated the 74 hectares of land at the scheme are under irrigation for grape production. 
The project has a staff complement of 62 permanent employees and approximately 300 seasonal workers.