The European Union (EU) on Wednesday handed over nine specialised vehicles, worth about N$10 million, to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform to support livestock value chains in Namibia's northern communal areas.
The fleet, comprising eight Land Cruiser 79 series vehicles and one Hino 500 series truck, was delivered through the EU-funded Livestock Support Programme (LSP) in partnership with the National Planning Commission.
The vehicles are equipped with trailers and designed for livestock transport across remote and rugged terrain.
EU delegation ambassador to Namibia Ana-Beatriz Martins says the handover marked the culmination of long-term cooperation between the EU and the Namibian government.
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"It is my great pleasure to attend this celebratory moment and to see years of hard work and efforts between the EU delegation and our Namibian counterparts come to fruition today," she said on Wednesday.
She said the vehicles represent more than logistical support. "The 13 tonnes of steel symbolise more than that: they illustrate the wide scope of our relations," Martins said, adding that the partnership spans agriculture, trade, governance and green industries.
Martins said the vehicles will improve farmer access to markets and reduce costs. "The vehicles stand for better market access, lower transport costs, improved animal welfare and stronger rural economies," she said.
She said farmers in the Northern Communal Areas have long faced structural challenges.
"For too long, farmers in the northern communal areas have faced structural constraints," Martins said, noting that the EU has provided "the equivalent of N$140 million" to support livestock production standards for domestic and export markets.
The programme included the construction of a 1000-head feedlot at Etunda, upgrades to the Opuwo slaughterhouse, improved quarantine facilities at Omutambo Maowe, and fencing north of the veterinary cordon fence.
Martins also highlighted disease risks. "As Africa's only fresh meat exporter to Europe, Namibia has good reason to be alarmed by the foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks on its external borders," she said, adding that the vehicles will strengthen surveillance and emergency response.
