Farming is an endeavor that allows a person to be involved in the growing of crops or keeping of domestic animals for the purpose of producing food and raw materials. Over the course of time, farming has rapidly evolved to incorporate technological and scientific advancements to make it a sustainable undertaking that utilizes resources such as land and water efficiently. These advancements have enabled the achievement of food security and significant revenues in many developed economies.

However, aspiring farmers need to keep key considerations in mind when deciding to become a farmer.

Before you embark on your farming venture there are critical questions that one must be able to answer in order to make the farming journey a success. The first and most important question is Why do you want to farm? This question will easily help an aspiring farmer to have a purpose or objective as to why he/she wants to farm.

This question has to be followed by asking What do you want to produce? This question helps a farmer understand that from the wide range of products available, he/she can focus on producing one or two with determination. For example, if one wants to be a livestock or crop farmer, they must decide to either focus on the production of cattle, sheep, goats, poultry, pigs, or crops. If one opts to produce livestock (cattle, sheep, and goats), aspiring farmers should identify their product of choice (breeding stock, weaners, oxen, or steers) to produce from their cattle farming venture. Aspiring crop farmers on the other hand may decide to focus on growing agronomy crops such as maize, pearl millet, wheat, or sorghum for grain production or to produce vegetables such as tomatoes, cabbages, potatoes, etc.

The third question is Whom are you producing for? This question helps you identify your potential target market which will be the immediate consumers of your product. Furthermore, this helps you to properly plan your production to meet sufficient quantities demanded by your target market.

The fourth question is What are your expectations? This question addresses the farmer ‘s envisaged output from the farming operations in the form of revenue and profit. Farmers are also encouraged to keep records that they can use to assess their progress, costs, and incomes. This will enable any farmer to answer this critical last question, is farming a business? Once you decide to embark on a farming journey, it should always be noted that once money is invested, one should anticipate a return on investment, and this makes farming a business.

Starting a farm is a complicated endeavor because it encompasses a myriad of aspects. In no particular order, farmers must consider business planning, finding land, securing financing, marketing, production selection, production knowledge, securing equipment, developing or securing infrastructure, and their vision for their farm. Moreover, an aspiring farmer should be cognizant of their knowledge and experience levels. In the final analysis, addressing these questions may ease the planning process and enable farmers to set up sustainable and profitable farming businesses.

Author: Hanks Saisai, Technical Advisor: Crops & Poultry (Agribank’s Agri Advisory Services Division)

Agribank has launched a two-season podcasting service that will cover 8 episodes each. The podcasts will be hosted by Ms Ndeshihafela Shinedima (aka Reina Nelao), the brand ambassador for the women and youth scheme that was introduced late last year.

Podcasts are hosted on platforms that offer ample amount of storage and the content (episodes) can be distributed to various social media platforms. The Agribank podcast will be hosted on the spotify and apple podcast platforms. The podcast started on Tuesday, 22 June and will be hosted every second Tuesday for eight episodes. The first season will cover topics such as range land management, farm maintenance, livestock (Small & Large) production, horticulture production, financial literacy, women and youth, agri-tech innovations, and agricultural marketing.

Agribank has now expanded its social media platforms and can be found on LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. It’s Executive for Marketing and Customer Strategy noted that the Bank continues to “optimise its digitilisation and online presence. I therefore urge our stakeholders to follow us on these platforms and to make time to tune in to listen to the podcast at your own convenience”.

Meanwhile, the Bank is encouraging its clients and stakeholders to make use of online platforms to access its services, in order to minimize the risk of Covid-19 exposure. In this regard, clients are urged to make use of online payments, submit online applications, call Agribank offices for consultations and general enquiries as well as use the website and social media platforms for general enquiries.

Issued by:

Rino Muranda
Manager, Marketing and Communication
For enquiries, kindly contact the Marketing and Communication Division
Tel. 061 207 4332
Emailinfo@agribank.com.na

Following recent announcement of new COVID-19 regulations by His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Namibia, Dr Hage Geingob, which amongst other things limit public gatherings to a maximum of 10 people to curb the increase in infection rate, in the country, Agribank announces the suspension of the countrywide women and youth networking sessions with immediate effect.

The Bank in collaboration with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, through its agricultural project Farming for Resilience (F4R), partnered to embark on a countrywide series of networking sessions, targeting women and youth in agriculture, hosted under the theme “creating women and youth Agri-preneurs.”

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH committed funds towards this partnership and the objective of these networking sessions is to provide insight into the various Agribank loan products under the Women and Youth scheme that was launched last year, while addressing obstacles on the loan product application journey. Free lectures, and training as well as a podcast broadcasting targeting established, and emerging farmers also take place during these sessions.

So far, the networking sessions covered Noordoewer, Aussenkehr, Oranjemund and Luderitz in the //Karas region as well as Maltahohe, Aranos and Rehoboth in the Hardap region. The Bank will continue to monitor the environment and the public will be informed when the face-to-face networking sessions will resume. In the meantime, Agribank urges all Namibians of all walks of life to continue to adhere to the Covid-19 safety regulations, go for voluntary vaccination, as well as to regularly wash hands, sanitise and wear their masks in order to contribute to the flattening of the infection curve.

Agribank has announced that its chief executive officer, Sakaria Nghikembua, will leave the bank at the end of July when his term comes to an end. The board has emphasised that Nghikembua has served his full term and has opted not to renew his contract for a second term. He will take up a role as Group Chief Executive Officer of Momentum Metropolitan Namibia effective 1 August 2021.

The board and bank employees thank Mr Nghikembua for elevating the bank to become a premier agricultural lender and for his contributions since 2016. Through his leadership Agribank was put on a new, exciting growth trajectory. The bank’s 5-year strategy was devised and implemented. Financial sustainability became a long-awaited reality, resulting in significant growth in the bank’s loan book, its interest income as well as loan repayment and expense management discipline. The governance environment was strengthened, making Agribank one of few public enterprises to complete its annual audits punctually and hold its annual general meetings on time. Agribank has become a customer-focused lender in Namibia’s most important socio-economic sector, agriculture. Numerous new products were launched, such as the salary-backed no-collateral loans, the emerging retail financing product and the women and youth scheme. The bank’s accessibility to clients was improved with new branch offices at Gobabis and Grootfontein, whilst the Zambezi branch in Katima Mulilo was moved to more customer-friendly premises. The bank implemented a robust performance management system and managed to recruit highly skilled executives, managers and employees at all levels, all of whom have played a key role in the implementation of the bank’s strategy.

Commenting on Nghikembua’s contribution, Board Vice Chairperson, Dagmar Honsbein stated: “It is regrettable to have to lose Mr Nghikembua to the private sector. The value he added was immense, and the board and the bank’s employees will continue to build on this solid foundation.” Honsbein added that the bank’s strategy and policies aimed at ensuring its sustainability, whose implementation Nghikembua dutifully championed, will continue. She further stated that the process of recruiting a new chief executive officer is well underway and the public media will be duly informed.

On his part, Nghikembua says that he relished his role at the bank, adding: “I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to serve in this public service role over the past five years. We have done some fantastic things and have achieved quite a lot in a difficult operating environment. We have in place a good team that will continue to implement the strategy to ensure we consolidate the gains of the past years. I am truly grateful”.

Issued by:
Dagmar Honsbein
Board Vice Chairperson
For enquiries, kindly contact the Marketing and Communications Division
Tel.: 061 2074308/10 Fax: 061 2074206 Email: info@agribank.com.na

Namibia’s Premier Agricultural Lender (Agribank), opened a new office in Grootfontein today, as part of its on-going strategy to put clients at the centre of its activities. The Bank has a continuous strategic objective of providing access to a wider client base, through both physical offices and the use of online services. Three years ago, the Bank opened an office in Gobabis, Omaheke region and towards the end of last year, it relocated its office in the Zambezi region, based in Katima Mulilo, to new and more customer-friendly offices. In the 2021/2 financial year, the Bank has budgeted to renovate its Otjiwarongo and Rundu offices to improve customer experience and service delivery at every level of contact.

In his keynote address at the inauguration ceremony, the Governor of Otjozondjupa region, James Uerikua, who officiated at the event, applauded Agribank for setting up a branch office in Grootfontein given agriculture sector’s important contribution towards the Namibian economy. The sector is also the largest employer in Namibia, despite a sustained economic recession over the past 5 years. While the Covid-19 pandemic poses some serious challenges to Namibia’s food sustainability in the short term, Uerikua said there is an opportunity to accelerate transformation in the agricultural sector to build its resilience in the face of these challenges.

“It is against this setting that I consider the opening of the Grootfontein office as an important step towards unlocking the agricultural growth potential offered by the Otjozondjupa region, since this region, particularly the Maize Triangle Area, is known for relatively high rainfall and endowment with groundwater resources required for improving agricultural productivity. “I thus congratulate the Board and all Agribankers respectively for their vision to bring services closer to the agricultural communities and for implementing this vision. What an outstanding achievement in the midst of tough economic and climatic environments?” Uerikua stated. He explained that as a government expects state-owned enterprises to be managed on a financially sustainable basis whilst providing much-needed goods and services to all Namibians, irrespective of where they live. “I am fully aware of the positive achievements which Agribank has been making over the past five years”, he concluded.

Speaking on behalf of the Agribank board, Peyavali Hangula described the opening of the new office in Grootfontein as a yet another milestone in the Bank’s journey towards customer excellence, as it enables the Bank to expand its reach, and improve its accessibility to clients and stakeholders nationally. She said the Otjozondjupa region is an important farming region in the country, which balances both livestock and crop production, making it equally important to Agribank, whose mandate is to support agriculture through funding. “It is against this backdrop that we felt it necessary to increase our footprint in this region. Today, we gathered in Grootfontein to open our second office in the Otjozondjupa region”.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by the Governor of the Otjozondjupa region, James Uerikua who was the keynote speaker, Grootfontein Mayor Lovisa Iyambo, Agribank Board members and senior management, farmers as well as other key stakeholders from the region.

Issued by:
Rino Muranda Manager: Marketing and Communication
For enquiries, kindly contact the Marketing and Communications Division Tel.: 061 2074308/10 Fax: 061 2074206
Email: info@agribank.com.na

Agribank was nominated for the prestigious Golden Arrow Award for three consecutive years for the annual PMR Africa awards.The award was given to Agribank for being one of the companies and institutions doing the most in their sectors over the past 12 months to stimulate the economic growth and development of Namibia. Agribank achieved a rating of excellent as determined by a random, national sample of respondents comprising chief executive officers, managing directors, business owners, company directors, managers and senior government officials based in Namibia.

PMR Africa conducts a survey annually to measure companies, institutions, government entities and individuals on their contribution to the economic growth and development of the country, levels of management expertise, implementation of corporate governance and levels of innovation. Through the awards, PMR Africa acknowledges contributions, initiatives, strategies, efforts and hard work of corporates in Namibia. The awards are aimed at, amongst others, enhancing excellence, setting a benchmark in the industry and acknowledging the contributions of businesses and employees.

Issued by:

Regan Mwazi
Executive: Marketing and Customer Strategy
For enquiries, kindly contact the Marketing and Communication Division at:
Tel.: 061 2074308
Fax: 061 2074206

Agribank is pleased to announce to the public, all clients, and farmers in general, that applications for all available loan products can now be completed on-line with immediate effect. The automation of the loan origination process will bring speed and accuracy to the loan application process, better quality and consistency in lending decisions.

Clients can now apply for loans via the Bank’s website. The new electronic process will enhance transparency and tracking of loans and ensure clear accountability in the handling of applications by the different functions in the Bank. These process improvements are in line with the Bank’s continuing mission to deliver better value to its clients.
On-line application forms can be accessed directly on the Agribank website: https://www.agribank.com.na
Issued by:

Sakaria Nghikembua
Chief Executive Officer

For enquiries please contact:
Regan Mwazi
Executive: Marketing and Customer Strategy
Tel.: 061 2074308
Fax: 061 2074206
Email: info@agribank.com.na

MR_Socio economic transformation through investment in agriculture

Namibia’s premier agricultural lender, Agribank, recently announced the winners in the first round of the Bank’s women and youth loan scheme Facebook selfie competition. The competition started in October 2020 and runs until the end of April this year. The competition aims to raise awareness about women and youth in agriculture and how their needs are fulfilled by the bank’s products and services throughout all seasons. The competition is applicable to women of all ages with a minimum of 18 years and youth agricultural entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 and 35 years as well as agricultural professionals of all ages..

Hileni Namwandi (26) from Omuntele in Oshikoto region scooped the first prize of a N$10,000 voucher. Namwandi farms with chicken and pigs and started a garden where she grows spinach and tomatoes. She plans to buy seeds and other production inputs with her prize money.
Peneyambeko Ndapandula Nghifikwa (29) from Windhoek who received N$5,000 has always dreamt of becoming a successful farmer. She currently runs two small poultry productions, one at her village of Okelemba in northern Namibia and another in Windhoek’s Havana informal settlement. Nghifikwa plans to buy more feed and drinkers for her poultry project as well as some material for the chicken coops.

Teopolina Uukunde Taukeni (30) from Omungwelume in the Ohangwena region received N$3,000 as the second runner up. Taukeni started a backyard garden to feed her family and grows spinach, tomatoes, beetroot, watermelon, sweet melon, eggplants, cucumber, pumpkins, lettuce and butternuts. She plans to buy shade nets with her prize money.
Eligible participants are required to take agricultural selfies while in full production, working in their fields or garden, feeding or heading their livestock, vaccinating or marketing their produce among other things. They are then required to upload those selfies with a brief description on their timelines and tag the Agribank Facebook page, before they invite their friends to like, comment and share their posts. Top three selfies that will generate more engagements are declared winners.

Issued by:
Rino Muranda
Manager: Marketing and Communication
For enquiries, kindly contact the Marketing and Communication Division at:
Tel.: 061 2074332
Fax: 061 2074206 Email: info@agribank.com.na

Agribank inaugurated its newly relocated regional office in Katima Mulilo on Friday, to improve its client experience as well as to ensure conducive working environment for staff when servicing farmers and potential farmers in the Zambezi region. Though the Bank has been operational for some years in the town, the new office elevates the Bank’s visibility and accessibility to clients and other stakeholders.

In his speech that was read on his behalf by Peter Mwala, Zambezi Regional Governor Lawrence Sampofu said the opening of the new Agribank office in Katima Mulilo is a welcome expression of the trust and confidence that Agribank has in the economic potential of the town and the region at large. Sampofu therefore urged the residents of the Zambezi region, particularly women and youth to make use of the office and utilize the services that are brought at their doorsteps. “I am pleased to learn that Agribank has recently introduced the women and youth scheme, with relaxed conditions. It is my hope that more young people and women from this region will take advantage of this scheme and become producers of note. The Zambezi region is endowed with sufficient fertile land and water and if you add productive youth and women to this equation, we can make our region the breadbasket of our country,” Sampofu said.

On his part, Agribank Chief Executive Officer Sakaria Nghikembua highlighted the Bank embarked on a transformation journey a few years ago that encompasses the transparency, excellent corporate governance, employee development as well as socio-economic transformation. “We are the best governed state-owned enterprise in Namibia, I can go on record and say that. We have very good record of risk management approaches and systems, strong internal controls, we comply with procurement policies of government and that is very important to us, if the institution is properly governed then the sustainability is ensured,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Bank’s Chairperson Michael Iyambo expressed gratitude on Bank’s interventions in the region which includes agri-advisory services and trainings that saw 682 farmers benefiting in the region. Iyambo appealed to the local staff to continue rendering superior customer service, ensure accountability and extend professional courtesy to all stakeholders. “If we live by these values, I am sure that we will cement our position as the leading public enterprise in service delivery in Namibia while fulfilling our notable mandate in making a developmental impact,” he concluded. The inauguration ceremony was attended by the acting Governor of the Zambezi region Peter Mwala, Katima Mulilo Mayor Charles Matengu, Agribank Board Chairperson and senior management as well as other stakeholders in the region.

Issued by:
Rino Muranda
Manager: Marketing and Communication

For enquiries, kindly contact the Marketing and Communication Division at:
Tel.: 061 2074332
Fax: 061 2074206 Email: info@agribank.com.na