WFP, Capricorn Foundation, and UNAM Enhance Food Security in Namibia with Value Addition Training

"Growing food for everyday consumption is a necessity, but we need to look beyond the everyday," said Tiwonge Machiwenyika, WFP Country Director Officer in Charge (OIC).

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), in collaboration with the Capricorn Foundation and the University of Namibia (UNAM), recently hosted a transformative three-day training session in the Hardap Region of Namibia. This initiative, aimed at promoting value addition in agriculture, brought together 45 participants, including youth and women from farmsteads in Stampriet, Schlip, Bernafay, and Maltahöhe.

The training focused on teaching new skills in food preservation and processing. Smallholder farmers learned to convert locally grown produce, such as carrots, tomatoes, and beetroot, into value-added products like carrot juice, beetroot juice, pickled beetroot, vacuum-packed sliced carrots, and tomato paste.

"Growing food for everyday consumption is a necessity, but we need to look beyond the everyday," said Tiwonge Machiwenyika, WFP Country Director Officer in Charge (OIC). “Value addition is essential to ensure that the production of food not only supports consumption but also helps farmers create sustainable livelihoods from their produce.”

Under the theme “Promoting Nutrition-Sensitive and Sustainable Food Processing through Value Addition to Reduce Post-Harvest Loss and Food Waste,” the training aimed to enhance farmers' capacity to diversify and increase their incomes while linking them to market actors. Participants were provided with value addition equipment, such as solar dryers, and agricultural inputs to boost on-farm productivity and apply their new skills sustainably.

Since their partnership began in 2022, WFP and the Capricorn Foundation have worked together to address food and nutrition security challenges by reducing food waste and enhancing the nutritional value of food. “Food loss and waste, as well as inadequate access to food leading to malnutrition, are major concerns in Namibia,” said Marlize Horn, Executive Officer of the Capricorn Foundation. “We are proud of our collaboration with WFP and our role as connectors of positive change.”

The training in Hardap is part of a broader effort by WFP and UNAM, which has already reached over 600 smallholder farmers in the Zambezi, Oshana, and Oshikoto regions in 2023 with similar training. Participants also received instruction from GS1 Namibia on food safety, market access, product commercialization strategies, including branding, barcoding, and market research.

“At the University of Namibia, we are committed to empowering our communities with practical skills that foster food security, self-reliance, and social progress,” said Prof. Kenneth Matengu, Vice Chancellor at UNAM. “This training demonstrates the impactful synergy between academic knowledge and strategic partnerships.”

This collaborative effort underscores WFP’s ongoing dedication to enhancing food systems and value chains in Namibia, contributing to improved livelihoods, skills development, and national food security.