Support from TİKA to Agriculture in Namibia

Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) established a cold storage in Manheim Grain Research Centre that carries out agricultural research and produces seeds in Namibia.

Situated in the north of Namibia, Manheim Grain Research Centre works on seed production and seed improvement, which are the fundamentals of agricultural production. Due to global warming and climate change, there is a decrease in agricultural productivity. One of the healthiest ways to increase agricultural productivity is seed improvement and access to quality seeds.

Seeds will be conserved for a long time

Seeds of various grains and pulse, mainly corns, wheat and black-eyed peas, are produced and improved at Manheim Grain Research Centre; however, up to now, 30% of the produce were left to rotting and infestation because of a failure to keep the produce at the desired temperature for a long time. The recent project has helped to conserve the seeds for a long time at Manheim Grain Research Centre, and now farmers can access healthy seeds.

Thanks to TİKA and the people of Türkiye

A ceremony was held to launch the project, and Clemens Kaiseb, General Manager of Agricultural Research and Development from the Namibian Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Soil Reform, Farayi Zimudzi, FAO’s representative in Namibia, authorities from Namibia National Planning Commission and employees from Manheim Grain Research Centre and media members participated in the ceremony. Clemens Kaiseb, General Manager of Agricultural Research and Development from the Namibian Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Soil Reform thanked TİKA and the people of Türkiye for the cold storage and their cooperation.  

It is foreseen that the project will significantly contribute to food security in Namibia in the long run.