The annual National Agronomy and Horticulture Awards (NAHA) took place on 19 September at Olushandja (Epalela), Omusati Region, where scores of individuals and entities were honored for outstanding work in various categories.
This year’s NAHAs, held under the theme ‘Enhancing food security amidst climate change challenges,’ celebrated and gave credit to those who till the soil and also those who deliver the earth’s produce to the markets.
The event, which brought together people from across Namibia, including leaders of the agronomy and the horticulture sectors, as well as regional governors of Omusati and Oshana, also saw the launch of the NAB national drought support programme for surplus and commercial grain producers.
The biggest award, which is the “Master Crop Value Chain of the Year”, went to Mr Eric van Druten of Emilienhof Investment cc, who was awarded a certificate and N$60,000.
Van Druten, from Otavi, also won the award for “Emerging Best Horticulture Exporter of the Year”.
Other winners are Okaperuperu cc from Okahandja that won the “Outstanding White Maize Producer of the Year”, Prettiness Tubazimbe Muitati from Nkurenkuru who won the “Emerging White Maize Producer of the Year” award; Sikondo Green Scheme Irrigation Project from Rundu which won the “Outstanding Wheat Producer of the Year”; Etunda Green Scheme Irrigation Project from Ruacana which won the “Emerging Wheat Producer of the Year”; Moses M Mapani from Katima Mulilo who won the “Outstanding Pearl Millet (Mahangu) Producer of the Year; Anneli Emilie Mutumbulwa from Omuthiya who won the “Emerging Pearl Millet (Mahangu) Producer of the Year”;
Chipalanga David Tuhafeni from Rundu who won the “Outstanding Youth Producer of the Year”; Anni Matias from Omuthiya who won the “Outstanding Innovator Producer of the Year”; Agro-Marketing Trade Agency (AMTA) from Windhoek that won the “Outstanding Agronomy Service Provider of the Year”; Bokomo Namibia from Windhoek that won the “Outstanding Grain Processor of the Year”; and Goal Maize cc from Tsumeb that won the “Emerging Grain Processor of the Year” awad.
In the horticulture segment, Green Crisp Farming from Okahandja won the “Best Horticulture Producer of the Year” award; Angelika Josef of Cabbage King Trading cc from Grootfontein won the “Emerging Horticulture Producer of the Year”; Johannes Amunyela Amutenya of Green Energy Trading cc from Olushandja won the “Best Horticulture Youth Producer of the Year”;
Leonie Hartmann of AvaGro from Swakopmund won the “Best Horticulture Innovator Producer of the Year”; AgriGro Namibia from Windhoek won the “Best Service Provider of the Year”; while Medical Export Nam from Olushandja won the “Emerging Best Service Provider of the Year” award.
Fysal Fresh Produce from Oshikango won the “Best Horticulture Exporter of the Year”; Namibia Fresh Produce Market from Windhoek won the “Best Horticulture Trader of the Year”; Freshco Namibia from Ondangwa won the “Emerging Horticulture Trader of the Year”; while Onampira Combined School from Oshikuku won the “Best School Garden of the Year” award.
The “best farmers or traders” of the award categories received certificates and N$30,000 each, while the “emerging farmers or traders” received certificates and N$20,000.
The awards ceremony was organised by the Namibian Agronomic Board (NAB) with financial and other support from Olushandja Horticulture Producers Association, The Rossing Foundation, Starke Ayres, German Cooperation Deutsche Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Farming for Resilience, NIPDB, MICCA Agri, Agribank, and Uukolonkadhi Traditional Authority.
In the photo: Winners posing with chiefs of Uukolonkadhi Traditional Authority.
