A new N$80-million cattle feedlot has officially broken ground at the Etunda irrigation scheme in the Omusati region.

The facility, which will hold up to 1 000 head of cattle, forms part of the European Union-Namibia Livestock Support Programme aimed at boosting livestock production in the northern communal areas (NCAs).

European Union (EU) chargé d'affaires to Namibia Ian Dupont says the project is part of a wider N$400-million support package jointly funded by the EU and the Namibian government.

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"The feedlot is valued at almost N$80 million and is part of a broader N$400-million support package to the livestock sector in the NCAs," Dupont says.

He says the package includes upgrades to abattoirs at Opuwo, quarantine and veterinary facilities in the Omusati, Kavango West and Zambezi regions, and the construction of an artificial insemination centre in the Oshikoto region.

The EU has also provided five 30-tonne trucks to the agriculture ministry, with nine more expected.

"Together with Namibia's agriculture ministry, we support this strategic infrastructure across the NCA to enhance livestock productivity, strengthen farmers' adaptation to climate change, and improve access for farmers in the NCAs to both local, regional and international markets through commodity-based trade," Dupont says.

National Planning Commission director Kaire Mbuende says the feedlot will serve as an important off-take point for communal farmers and improve food security.

"The benefits brought about by this project - namely the introduction of feedlots - enhance the agricultural value chains, which are strategic imperatives for value addition in livestock," he says.

Mbuende says the project will support sustainable farming, reduce poverty and drive economic growth in the region.