Agriculture ministry seeks solutions to rising energy costs threatening green schemes

By: Hertha Ekandjo

The agriculture ministry has raised alarm over the escalating cost of electricity threatening the long-term sustainability of Namibia’s Green Scheme Initiative.

Speaking at a National Workshop on Green Schemes on Monday, the ministry’s executive director, Ndiyakupi Nghituwamata, in a speech read other behalf said the green scheme initiative was established to promote self-reliance, strengthen national food security, and improve rural livelihoods by harnessing the country’s river systems through sustainable irrigated farming.

“Over the years, these schemes have significantly contributed to food production and demonstrated the potential of irrigated farming in Namibia. However, one of the most pressing challenges threatening their long-term sustainability is the high cost of energy,” Nghituwamata said.

Electricity, she noted, remains a critical input for irrigation-based agriculture, powering systems such as water pumps, irrigation equipment, and processing facilities. However, soaring electricity costs have placed immense financial strain on farmers and operators.

“Each Green Scheme project spends close to one million Namibian dollars per month on electricity alone, representing roughly 35% of its total revenue. This burden severely impacts profitability and long-term operational viability,” she said.

Nghituwamata added that the ministry has made considerable investments to improve energy efficiency across Green Scheme projects. These include installing Variable Speed Drives (VSDs) to enhance pumping efficiency, implementing power factor correction systems, deploying high-efficiency motors, and adopting irrigation scheduling to optimise energy use.

Despite these interventions, high electricity costs remain a major challenge. She revealed that a Cabinet-appointed team previously engaged NamPower and the ministry and energy ministry to explore solutions, but those efforts yielded no tangible outcomes.

“This workshop is therefore timely and necessary to build on previous engagements and develop practical, implementable, and sustainable solutions that will ensure the long-term viability of our Green Schemes,” she said.

Nghituwamata emphasised that addressing energy costs is not merely about saving money, but about safeguarding Namibia’s food production capacity. She said the workshop’s theme aligns with the country’s Strategy for Transformation of the Agri-Food Sector (STAS), Vision 2030, the Swapo Manifesto Implementation Plan, and the Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6), all of which highlight sustainable resource use, agricultural productivity, and national food security.