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Namibia Emerging Commercial Farmers’ Union

 (NECFU) Background

Namibia Emerging Commercial Farmers’ Union (NECFU) was formed in 2010. At its formation, NECFU had 8 affiliated regional farmers’ unions (RFUs) from Erongo, Otjozondjupa, Hardap, Karas, Kunene, Omaheke, Khomas and Oshikoto. NECFU membership includes three types of farming stakeholders as follows:

  • Resettled Farmers, (RFs)
  • Emerging Commercial Farmers (ECFs)
  • And beneficiaries of the Government of the Republic of Namibia’s (GRN) Affirmative Action Loan Scheme (AALS).

NECFU is a non-profit, non-political, non-ethnical organization purposed to serve as a platform to advance the interests of RFs, ECFs and beneficiaries of AALS in Namibia. NECFU had its inaugural congress in 2010 and held a follow-up congress in 2013. It is governed by an electedExecutive Committee (EXCO) led by the President. Of late, NECFU activities have been minimal, however there is a strong desire to revitalize and strengthen activities. Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU) has been providing support and guidance to NECFU in an attempt to revive and strengthen the union. The urgency in strengthening the visibility and activities of NECFU also partly emanates from the need to strengthen the platform that RFs, ECFs and AALS beneficiaries have to address contemporary challenges and threats facing the sector in Namibia. Secondly, the union needs to realign its activities with the recently formulated national “Capacity Building Strategy for Resettlement Farmers 2017 -2022” that was adopted by GRN.

Strategic Role and Relevance of NECFU in the Agricultural Sector of Namibia

NECFU serves as a platform for ECFs, RFs and AALS beneficiaries to lobby for the creation of an agricultural environment conducive to full participation of farmers in the agricultural value chains in order to maximize the potential contribution of the agricultural sector to the Namibian economy. It also targets constructive and proactive engagement with GRN through the line ministries in the development of policies and conceptualization of programmes that are responsive to the challenges and needs of the agricultural sector. The core of the GRN resettlement policy and programme is ensure that the potential of the sector is unlocked and maximized for the benefit of the country’s economy as per the Vision 2030 and NDP 5. NECFU strategically targets the immediate and principal beneficiaries of the government resettlement programmes in order to firstly reinforce implementation of national programmes. Despite the lack of funding NECFU has proven to be an active and willing stakeholder in the following GRN programmes: Farmers Support Programs, National Rangeland Policies and Practices (NRMPS), HACCIADIP, NAMSIP, ANIMAL Health Committees, to mention a few and to secondly unleash the potential of the agricultural sector by among other things capacitating farmers in different ways. NECFU does not only seek to assist in the implementation of programmes but seeks to influence the development of policies that conceptualize effective programmes through conducting policy research, advocacy and lobbying, facilitating policy dialogue and debate. The NECFU agenda is strongly influenced by national strategies and development plans that include Vision 2030, NDP 5 and the recently launched “Capacity Building Strategy for Resettlement Farmers 2017 -2022”. NECFU strives to ensure that it aligns its programmes, mandate and activities with national strategies in order to remain relevant. The following national policies and strategies guide NECFU:

  • Namibia Capacity Building Strategy for Emerging and Resettled Farmers 2017 – 2022
  • 2015 Namibia Agricultural Policy and Strategy
  • Vision 2030 and National Development Plan 5

The NDP 5 2017/18 – 2021/22 identifies agriculture as part of the strategic “game changers”.

 

NECFU Goals, Aims and Objectives

The Aims, Goals and objectives are carefully aligned with the National developmental agenda as spelled out in the vision 2030 and other high level documents including the 2015 National Agricultural policy and Strategy, the NDP 5 and other sector strategies.

 

Goals of NECFU

The ultimate goal of NECFU is to contribute to the creation of an agricultural environment conducive to full participation of farmers in the agricultural value chains in order to maximize the potential contribution of the agricultural sector to the Namibian economy.

 

Aims of NECFU

NECFU is purposed to serve as a common platform for ECFs, RFs and beneficiaries of AALs to enhance organized agriculture through the following;

  1. Linking ECFs, RFs and beneficiaries of AALs to existing agricultural training and advisory services providers
  2. Creating demand for training and advisory extension services through awareness raising and provision of information
  3. Proactively influencing development of responsive agricultural programmes and services through
    1. systematic policy research and analyses
    2. evidence-based policy debate
    3. facilitating policy dialogue and consultation between farmers and policy-makers
    4. policy advocacy and lobbying
  4. Facilitating implementation of GRN policies and programmes

 

Objectives of NECFU

In pursuit of the stated goals and aims, NECFU has a number of objectives as follows:

  1. To organize NECFU and maintain its functionality and sustainability at all levels
  2. To enhance the competencies of its members
  3. To maximize external support for NECFU
  4. To improve members access to agricultural services and markets
  5. To support members to manage natural resources in a sustainable manner
  6. To gather and disseminate systematic evidence and strategic information
  7. To serve as a mouthpiece for Namibia ECFs, RFs and AALS beneficiaries.
  8. To network with national and international farmers’ organizations in order to exchange good practices and enhance organized agriculture.