PDM President Urges Ministry to Modernize Maize Production for Food Security

McHenry Venaani, the president of the Popular Democratic Movement, has called upon the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform to embrace modernization in maize production to achieve self-sufficiency. In a recent media statement, Venaani highlighted the alarming fact that Namibia imported around 82,000 tonnes of maize in 2023 alone. Expressing concern over the projected 42% harvest for 2023/24, leaving a substantial 60% gap in white maize needs, Venaani stressed the need to move beyond mere rhetoric. He proposed the adoption of drought-tolerant maize varieties, emphasizing that innovative crops are crucial for mitigating climate risks and curbing harvest failures, a persistent issue in sub-Saharan Africa.