Justicia Shipena
The minister of agriculture, fisheries, water and land reform, Inge Zaamwani, has warned that bureaucratic delays and slow systems are holding back service delivery in agriculture.
She said the sector is central to food security, water access and land reform.
She spoke at the annual staff address of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform in Windhoek on Thursday.
Zaamwani said the ministry must move away from paper-driven processes and focus on results that improve people’s lives.
“Our performance culture has to change towards impact-orientated results. We must eliminate bureaucratic delays and expedite procurement,” she said.
Zaamwani reminded the staff that agriculture is the government’s top priority, emphasising that we cannot tolerate inefficiency when it affects livelihoods.
“Agriculture is the number one priority area for the 8th Administration. It means food security, access to potable water and land is our key responsibility,” she said.
She said the ministry faces pressure from climate change, global instability and limited budgets, which makes coordination and discipline critical.
“We cannot achieve these mammoth responsibilities through fragmented efforts. We must be fully aligned on our strategic objectives and key performance indicators,” she said.
She also stressed fair access to land and natural resources, saying secure land tenure and better spatial planning are essential for development.
“We must promote equitable distribution and access to natural resources,” she said.
Water security, she added, remains central to economic and social development.
“Water security remains the bedrock of agricultural production, industrial growth and national development,” she said, calling for increased investment in bulk water infrastructure and rural water systems.
Zaamwani also highlighted the ministry’s strategy for the transformation of the agri-food sector, which aims to raise productivity and competitiveness through stronger cooperation with the private sector.
She urged the staff to turn plans into action and take responsibility for delivery.
“The ideas shared today have little impact unless we act on them diligently,” she said.
