The NEPAD Agency organised a training seminar with the theme “Implementing NAIPs using a value chain approach” in Pretoria, South Africa, from 05 to 09 May 2014. The seminar was hosted with the support of the CAADP-GIZ programme. Wallie Roux as the NAU’s nominee for Namibia’s CAADP Country Team attended the seminar. His participation was made possible by GIZ Namibia.

The objective of the seminar was to capacitate participants to utilise a value chain approach for the implementation of NAIPs as part of a country’s CAADP Compact agreement (identification of priority areas for investment in agriculture and signed by all key stakeholders). The value chain approach aims at promoting public-private co-investment under the umbrella of NAIPs as a collaborative effort of public and private stakeholders.

From a CAADP perspective governments should pursue a market-focused agricultural development to encourage private investments. This requires implementing NAIPs according to a value chain approach given that all NAIPs identify priority value chains to promote.

The CAADP process in Namibia came to a halt during the middle of 2010. However, MAWF recently requested nominees from stakeholders for the CAADP Country Team to revitalise the process.

CAADP: Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme

GIZ: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH

MAWF: Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry

NAIPs: National Agricultural Investment Plans

NAU: Namibia Agricultural Union

NEPAD: New Partnership for Africa’s Development

http://www.newera.com.na/2014/05/20/regional-seminar-implementing-agricultural-investment-plans-chain-approach/