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+264 61 271 117
Mail Us
info@nnfu.org.na
Visit Our Office
Erf 4, Axali Doeseb Street
Office hours
Mon - Fri: 07:30 – 16:30
FACTS ABOUT OUR MEMBERS
Due to historical colonial discrimination and continued marginalization and lack of support and resources, our members are systemically and economically disadvantaged which we seek to address. Some of these systemic and economic challenges are as follows:
Climate Change
Climate change makes the situation worse. Namibia as a whole is characterized by a dry climate and agricultural production is severely constrained by its arid climate. Namibia is the driest country in Africa south of the Sahel where almost the entire land surface can be classified as arid or semi-arid.
Finance
Lack of funding due to lack of collateral and stringent requirements by local banks including agricultural bank.
Land
80% of our members reside in communal areas where the land tenure system is open access.
The land in communal areas belongs to the state while most of the farmers have limited land (20 hectare) ownership on leasehold basis.
Some farmers have leasehold up to 2500 hectares but the leasehold period is limited to few years (mostly 25 years). Only few are having 99 years leasehold.
The leasehold land in communal areas cannot be used as collateral to secure funding for farming.
Members in townland farming areas typically have short-term leases of about 5 years.
Communal areas are overcrowded resulting in more degraded areas compared to the commercial areas. About 50% (30 million hectares) of Namibia’s agricultural land belongs to commercial farmers. However, about 70% of farmers in Namibia reside on communal/emerging commercial farms.
The land in communal areas belongs to the state while most of the farmers have limited land (20 hectare) ownership on leasehold basis.
Some farmers have leasehold up to 2500 hectares but the leasehold period is limited to few years (mostly 25 years). Only few are having 99 years leasehold.
The leasehold land in communal areas cannot be used as collateral to secure funding for farming.
Members in townland farming areas typically have short-term leases of about 5 years.
Communal areas are overcrowded resulting in more degraded areas compared to the commercial areas. About 50% (30 million hectares) of Namibia’s agricultural land belongs to commercial farmers. However, about 70% of farmers in Namibia reside on communal/emerging commercial farms. Production and policy
About 90% of our farmers rely on dry land crop production as they cannot afford irrigation, yet the average annual rainfall in Namibia is about 300 mm, with a variation from 650 mm in the northeast to less than 50 mm in the southwest and along the coastal areas.
Our members in rural areas (about 72%) rely on livestock and crop production for their livelihood due to lack of alternative livelihood means.
Some of our members are from marginalized communities who never attended school.
Human Wildlife Conflict is a major challenge in communal areas.
Human Wildlife Conflict is a major challenge in communal areas. Wild animals often destroy crops, kill livestock and endanger human life.
Lack of an enabling legal framework (policies and legislation) to drive reform and support communal farming.
Lack of enabling legal framework (policies and legislation) to drive reform and support farming. 
Status quo of our members:
Land
Characterized by poverty and poor farming Land degradation in communal areas is on increase. This can be in terms of desertification but also bush encroachment in some cases. Market
Excluded from a good market for both crops and livestock due to poor quality of livestock and crops produced.
GDP
Contribution to Agricultural GDP is limited despite owning half of the Agricultural land.
Governance
Disputes and conflicts aggregated by land dispossession as wealth people continue to take land out of communal areas in exchange of money despite being illegal. Poverty puts the traditional authority in a desperate state.
Climate change
We are most affected by drought and other climate change related impact such as water scarcity, pests etc.
The change that we want:
✅ Support NNFU in advocacy and lobby to reform land tenure system in communal areas. Farmers should use leasehold land as a collateral. We need land use plan in communal areas.✅ We need to shift to climate irrigation smart. We cannot survive with climate change on dry land crop production.✅Support us with fodder production. The land cannot carry livestock anymore, there is a need to supplement with fodder.✅Capacity building programme to improve knowledge of our members to cope with climate change but also to transition from subsistence farming to commercial farming.✅Support market interventions to improve market access and share for communal farmers.✅We need enabling legal framework. Let’s empower farmers with negotiation and basic policy analysis skills to speak for themselves.✅Help us to deal with Human Wildlife Conflict. Without amicable solution, animal will be eradicated.✅Are you a researcher to empower our members with developments, facts and trends?
Support Our Farmers
Your donation of funds, trainings, research and resources to will help to grow sustainable and strengthen small holder farmers and rural communities.
Together, we can build a better agricultural sector by supporting family farming in the rural area.
What have we done so far?
With our limited capacity and resources, NNFU has over 30 years made efforts to improve the plight of its members.
Capacity Building
🌱 NNFU has successfully claimed recognition in Agriculture sector. We are consulted for legislation and policy development/review, and agriculture industry issues. We are represented over 45 external stakeholders’ committees and boards where we influence industry issues, policy development and change.
🌱 Secured several capacity buildings projects and programmes for its members. At least 20% percent of our members has transformed from subsistence farming to semi commercial farming.
Lobby and advocacy
Successfully lobbied and advocated for some legal framework (legislation and policy change), which provide improved environment for our members. Drought policy keep improving while we demand better resettlement programme.
Organised agriculture
Our capacity has improved over the past, with define governance structure and playing curial role in organized agriculture. NNFU is the only union having organized structures in 13 regions of Namibia. Agricultural stakeholders find it easy to consult farmers through organized structures instead of individuals. Dissemination of information is faster and reaches every farmer.
Income generation
NNFU has assisted some of its members to establish income generating activities and bodies, such as cooperatives which are conducting auctions hence generating reasonably funds for their activities. However, this area needs significant improvement.
Women and Youth
Women and youth mainstreaming in agriculture is lacking in Namibia. NNFU has embarked upon initiatives to ensure youth and women participation in Agriculture.
