Large Scale First Locally Grown Bananas Harvest in August

By: Loise Shiimi and Nghiinomenwa-vali Erastus

Namibia is set to harvest its first locally grown bananas this August, to boost domestic fruit production and reduce dependence on imports.

Any opportunity for Namibia to shift from being a banana importer to a self-sustaining producer.

According to the Namibian Agronomic Board (NAB) data, Namibia imported 6,394 tons of bananas in 2022/23, amounting to approximately N$57 million.

The initiative, launched in February 2024 by the Namibian Agronomic Board (NAB) in partnership with Avagro, is being piloted under the Banana Project.

The trial involved the planting of 2,222 banana seedlings at Mango Vuluzi Farm in the Singalamwe area of the Zambezi Region.

The Banana Trial Project aimed to assess the feasibility of large-scale banana production in Namibia, considering factors such as soil fertility, water requirements, and climate adaptability.