Namibia Correctional Service (NCS), United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), Impact for Africa (IFA), and Lithon Project Consultants launched an integrated food production project in Mariental this week.

According to a joint statement, the project will develop, prepare and execute an agricultural pilot project, producing numerous high-value crops for local and international markets, and is anticipated to span over 100 hectares; with the pilot phase beginning on an initial 5 hectares.

Furthermore, the project is expected to bolster agricultural production, boost the local economy and create a long-term pathway for self-sufficiency.

"As Namibia continues on the momentous task of zero hunger by 2030, joint ventures, such as these, are a critical imperative for achieving this goal and for springboarding the achievement of food security and leveraging expertise and resources to accelerate progress toward zero hunger," the statement added.

In addition to supporting an increase in productivity, the partners will work to improve access to markets, technology, capacity, skills, and knowledge required to develop a robust, diversified, and resilient initiative, the statement said.

Meanwhile, the partnership is set to be catalytic in developing cutting-edge proof of concepts that will tackle the complex, rapidly evolving issues relative to transformative food systems, economic transformation, social protection and progression, and climate change adaptation and mitigation.

The WFP, whose mandate is to provide humanitarian and development assistance and assist nations to achieve zero hunger by 2030, to this end works with partners in numerous countries in saving lives and changing lives, deliver food assistance in emergencies, and work with communities to improve food and nutrition security as well as build resilience, and the provision of technical assistance at national level by the objectives of governments.