Namibians urged to embrace diverse sectors to combat economic challenges

By: Hertha Ekandjo

The Daures Green Hydrogen Village (DGHV) Chief Executive Officer Jerome Namaseb, has called on Namibia to diversify its economic sectors to effectively address pressing issues such as food insecurity and unemployment.

He emphasized that embracing emerging industries like green hydrogen can significantly broaden employment opportunities and reduce the nation’s reliance on imported goods.

“Namibia should be open to welcoming different sectors and projects over being selective,” Namaseb stated, highlighting the potential of projects like DGHV to increase local food production and decrease dependency on imports.

Namaseb was speaking during a Daures media site visit on Tuesday in the Erongo region.

The DGHV has initiated a climate-controlled greenhouse facility aimed at producing approximately 500 tonnes of tomatoes and 600 tonnes of carrots annually.

These vegetables are currently available in local markets through retailers such as Woermann Brock, Metro, and Spar, contributing to reduced food imports and enhanced food security within the country.

In addition to agricultural produce, the DGHV is pioneering the production of green ammonia, a key component in fertilizers like ammonium sulfate and nitrate. This initiative aims to produce up to 30% of Namibia’s fertilizer needs, thereby reducing import dependency and supporting local agriculture.

The DGHV project has already created employment opportunities during its construction phase and plans to expand its workforce as operations scale up.

The project emphasizes local involvement by awarding contracts to small and medium enterprises from the Daures constituency.

Beyond agriculture, the DGHV is at the forefront of establishing a green hydrogen economy in Namibia. The project aims to produce green hydrogen and ammonia using renewable energy sources, positioning the country as a potential exporter of these clean energy carriers