Media Statement

Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia (EIF) hosts the Urban Agriculture Grant e-voucher card issuance and terminal roll-out in Mariental (Hard Region)

22 March 2022

Mariental, 22 March 2022 – Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia (EIF) yesterday morning hosted the Urban Agriculture Grant e-voucher card issuance and terminal roll-out in Mariental as part of the four regions identified to benefit from the Urban Agriculture Grant e-voucher card Issuance and terminal roll-out under the project titled “Strengthening Namibia food systems to recover from emergencies and disease-related shocks through the Build Back Better (BBB) programme”.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform (MAWLR) - in partnership with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia (EIF), as a Responsible Party – launched the Urban Agriculture concept- Build Back Better (BBB) Program with financial support from the Japanese Government. The Build Back Better programme aims to improve the production of nutritious, high-value produce such as vegetables and fruits to address nutritional deficiencies affecting urban and peri-urban households. This initiative is being implemented in collaboration with the Windhoek Municipality (Khomas Region), Swakopmund Municipality (Erongo Region), Rundu Town Council (Kavango East Region) and the Daweb Constituency (Maltahohe) of the Hardap Region.

The rollout in the Hardap region will cover Maltahohe (Daweb Constituency), Mariental (Mariental Constituency), Gibeon District, and 14 beneficiaries have been identified to benefit from the project titled “Strengthening Namibia food systems to recover from emergencies and disease-related shocks through the Build Back Better (BBB) programme.

The e-voucher system terminal set-up in the 4 participating regions and issuance of the card to the beneficiaries, Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia (EIF) will use the same platform to issue Grant contracts to the beneficiaries.

Delivering the welcoming remarks was the Hon. Salomon Boos, Regional Councillor Aranos Constituency, who expressed his appreciation for this opportunity for the inhabitants of the region and urged the Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia to partner up with the Hardap Regional Councillor to come with projects that are tailor made for the situations of the region.

Speaking on behalf of the behalf of the Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia (EIF) was Mr. Karl Mutani Aribeb, EIF Chief Operations Officer who gave an overview of the Build Back Better (BBB) Program.” This Urban agriculture e-voucher system is mean to make accessibility of services to Urban Farmers much easier as this is a digitalized service and additionally improve livelihoods of small-scale farmers under urban and peri urban areas through income”.

Delivering the Keynote address was Hon. Gershon Dausab, Regional Councillor for Rehoboth Rural Constituency and Chairperson of the Hardap Regional Council who denoted that “you the beneficiaries you must use the opportunity given to you to show that the people of Hardap region are capable, resources are limited, and I urge you to ensure that you commit to executing your project to the best of your ability”. The Chairperson further informed indicated that the regional council is committing to see it can best be able to assist the selected beneficiaries with execution of their projects. In concluding his keynote address he also requested that the Council and the Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia (EIF) should engage and see how they can assist the council with regards to project proposals for the unique development for the Hardap region.

Speaking at the event on behalf of the beneficiaries was Mr. Penias E. Topnaar, who was funded under the horticulture and narrated that” I am very happy about tis grant as it will greatly assist me in extending my existing infrastructure and be able to grow more food for not only myself and my family but possibly to sell and generate additional income which will improve my stand of living”.

Delivering the closing remarks was Hon. Deensia Swaartbooi, Regional Councillor for Mariental Constituency who thanked all the partners involved in the conceptualization and execution of the grant programme. Hon. Swaartbooi concluded her statement by narrating that “ You have given us and our people hope with this programme to realise their dreams of becoming urban small scale farmers through the e-voucher system and to you the beneficiaries, we as the regional Council wasn’t to see results and want to see you creating employment opportunities and improving livelihoods with these grants that you are receiving here today”.

The e-voucher system terminal set-up in the 4 participating regions and issuance of the card to the beneficiaries, Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia (EIF) will use the same platform to issue Grant contracts to the beneficiaries.

The rollout programme saw a total support to 56 beneficiaries of 13 are from Windhoek Municipality (Khomas Region), 13 from the Swakopmund Municipality (Erongo Region), 17 from Rundu Town Council (Kavango East Region) and 13 from the Daweb Constituency (Maltahohe) of the Hardap Region respectively.

The ceremony concluded with the rollout of the e-voucher system, registration of beneficiaries and issuance of the voucher card and signing of contracts by identified beneficiaries.

The e-voucher system allows the selected beneficiaries to access good and services from specific selected retailers through the system. There are selected retailers in the various towns that beneficiaries will procure from for the different goods they may require towards the successful implementation of their various projects.

The urban agriculture programme is funded to the tune of two million Namibian dollars (N$ 2 000 0000) that translates to Five hundred thousand Namibian (N$ 500 000) dollars per local authority identified under the programme.

About EIF

The Environmental Investment Fund is Namibia’s own response to the growing global need for green financing. Established in terms of the Environmental Investment Fund Act, Act 13 of 2001 with a mandate to raise funding for investments into projects and programmes that promote sustainable development it is currently one of the fastest growing green and climate financing institutions in Africa. As part of its vision to be “a recognized leader in the development and application of innovative financing mechanisms to support sustainable development and ensuring inclusive development for all the people of Namibia. 

Amongst its recognizable impacts to date since inception, the Fund has disbursed grants valued at more than N$ 583 million, ensured that more than 240, 256 hectares of land are under conservation, 71 grants approved for different environmental projects, created more than 950 employment opportunities mostly rural based and include season ones and retrofitted 120 boreholes that benefitted more than 77 000 who now have access to portable drinking water and attracted N$ 820 million for concessional Green Credit Line with participating commercial bank from Agence Française de Développement (AFD) under the SUNREF project in Namibia. To-date attracted and mobilised more than N$1.7 billion mostly from multilateral and developmental funding institutions and partners.

For more information visit:  HYPERLINK "http://www.eif.org.na/" http://www.eif.org.na/