The Namibian Correctional Services (NCS) has, over the past four years, produced and supplied food items valued at over N$66 million to its facilities countrywide.

This is according to NCS deputy commissioner general Sam Shaalulange during the handover of a storage facility from the Namibia Industrial Development Agency to the Katima Mulilo Correctional Facility in the Zambezi region on Thursday.

Shaalulange said the storage facility will uplift NCS's strategy of producing food for self-sufficiency and reliance.

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He said in the 2024/2025 financial year, the NCS produced an average of 663.7 tonnes of maize valued at N$5.3 million, 703.75 tonnes of wheat valued at N$5.6 million, as well as 100.4 tonnes of pork valued at N$7.5 million and 173.01 tonnes of vegetables valued at N$1.7 million from all its rehabilitation facilities countrywide.

"We also mill the wheat into bread flour, and because we have bakeries at all correctional facilities, we are able to supply bread to all inmates in our correctional facilities and to the police holding cells daily. We also supply pork to all our correctional facilities and meat, chicken, as well as eggs to our training college," he said.

He further stated that with the right financial, material and political leadership support, NCS can produce beyond inmates' consumption and produce more for the entire country.

The deputy commissioner general said NCS plans to put up irrigation systems at the Katima Mulilo Correctional Facility and cultivate maize and wheat on 25 hectares of land, thereby expecting 1 000 tonnes of maize and 750 tonnes of wheat to be harvested.

Hence, about 20 000 bags of 50 kilogrammes of maize grain and 15 000 bags of 50 kilogrammes of wheat grain, anticipated to be harvested, will need storage facilities.

Deputy prime minister and minister of industries, mines and energy Natangue Ithete, who was the guest of honour, officially handed over the storage facility at Katima Mulilo.

- Nampa