THE Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) and the Ministry of Agriculture on Wednesday gave seven agricultural grants totalling N$22,7 million to four implementing agencies.

Under its Indigenous Natural Products Innovation Fund (INP), a grant of N$1 609 972 million was given to Rutgers University of New Jersey for the Inventory and Rapid Throughput project while Phytotrade Africa was given a grant of N$2 387 500 for the Optimal Oil Processing Technology and Competitiveness project.

Phytotrade was also given N$2 424 469 for a project on marula fruit chemistry to enable innovative commercial opportunities.

The Meat Board of Namibia was given a grant of N$1 685 500 for the development of export opportunities of beef products from Caprivi, under the MCA's Livestock Marketing Efficiency Fund (LMEF).

Komeho Namibia was granted N$1 864 501 under this fund for the development of the livestock farming sector while Agra Cooperative Limited got N$8 809 378 to do a baseline survey of animal nutrition in the Northern Communal Areas (NCAs).

The same cooperative also got N$3 952 080 to conduct an epidemiological and parasite survey of livestock in the NCAs.

MCA Namibia said the primary aim of the INP fund is to ensure continued growth in the sector by investing in new product applications and processing innovations of indigenous natural products in Namibia.

The objective of the LMEF is to improve the incomes of livestock producers in the NCAs and to ensure continued growth of the livestock sector through improving livestock marketing and eliminating barriers to existing and new markets.

The grants were signed by the Minister of Agriculture, John Mutorwa, and the US Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission, Eva Rogers.

Mutorwa said the two programmes were very important as the livestock activity seeks to bring the marketing opportunities for farmers who live north of the Veterinary Cordon Fence closer to the opportunities farmers enjoy south of the fence.

Rogers said MCC would help Namibia to build a strong economy that offers new opportunities.

She said in the Agriculture Project alone, more than 750 000 Namibians will benefit and their incomes are projected to increase by nearly US$32 million over the next 20 years.

MCA-Namibia's manager for agriculture grants, Bernadette Bock, said the sustainable development and expansion of natural resources sectors is crucial in order to ensure that households continue to benefit and the environment is sustained.