Namibian farmers in focus as agri-sector eyes technology and seed innovation

Namibia's agricultural sector is attracting increased attention from suppliers, with renewed commitments to seed supply and growing efforts to introduce precision farming technologies to smaller producers.

Speaking at the recent NAMPO Harvest Day, PANNAR representative to Namibia Philip Hollenbach said the country remains a priority market for the company's flagship 5285 white maize variety.

"At the beginning of every season, we set aside a certain number of bags of the 5285 product for Namibia. It is a priority market for us," Hollenbach told Agrimonitor.

He said the company's new leadership could bring a stronger development focus to Namibia. PANNAR recently appointed Lucas Meyer as business manager, with a mandate that includes expanding the company's presence in the country and testing new seed varieties under local conditions.

"We are going to focus heavily on the Namibian market to see what else can be grown successfully here," Hollenbach said.

However, he warned that the upcoming planting season is likely to be challenging for farmers as rising input costs continue to squeeze margins.

"Chemical prices are higher, and diesel prices are higher. Farmers need to assess whether planting remains economically viable. The key is having the right relationships and access to information to make informed decisions," he said.

Precision farming gains traction

On the technology front, Christo Helm of Topcon, a distributor of precision agriculture technology across Africa, said smaller farmers are often more willing to adopt new technologies than larger operations.

"The average smaller farmer is generally more open to adopting technology because they have to maximise production on a limited area of land. Farmers with larger landholdings can sometimes be more hesitant to change established practices," Helm said.

He cited a South African case study that demonstrated the benefits of precision soil mapping and targeted input application.

"We mapped the farmer's land, analysed the soil profile and production potential, and after three years the average yield reached 7.2 tonnes. Input costs fell by 30%, while net income increased by 160% because inputs were applied only where they were needed," he said.

Helm also outlined a contracting model that could help smaller commercial and subsistence farmers gain access to mechanisation and precision agriculture services.

Under the model, larger commercial farmers would provide services such as land preparation, production planning, spraying and harvesting to smaller producers through contractual arrangements.

"The larger commercial farmer can support smaller commercial and subsistence farmers by providing access to equipment, expertise and production services throughout the farming cycle," Helm said.

Supporters of the approach argue that it could help bridge the gap between large-scale commercial agriculture and smaller farming operations, allowing more producers to benefit from modern technology without having to make significant capital investments.