(3 Minutes Read)
The University of Namibia (UNAM) is set to transform its current fruit and vegetable processing facility at the Katima Mulilo Campus into a fully commercial mango processing plant.
Simon Namesho, UNAM’s Manager for Public Relations and Media Operations, revealed that the project will require an estimated N$20 million investment. Of this, UNAM will contribute 20%, primarily through technical expertise in areas such as product development, quality assurance, testing, design, and marketing. The remaining 80% of funding is expected to come from the government.
Currently operated under the Centre for Innovation and Development, the existing facility processes various fruits and vegetables but has not yet reached commercial scale. The plant is expected to become fully operational in 2025, with the expanded production capacity set to come online during the 2026/27 financial year.
At present, the facility can produce up to 100 litres of juice per hour and manufactures jams from mangoes, mutete, and maguni. From the 2025 mango season, the plant will begin producing dried mango crisps, aided by newly installed cold storage infrastructure aimed at enhancing value addition.
The upgraded plant is expected to serve both local and regional markets, with plans to export dried mango products internationally from 2026/27. According to Namesho, the expansion supports Namibia’s national strategy to diversify exports and build a robust agro-processing sector.
Once fully developed, the facility is projected to exceed local demand, enabling regional distribution and boosting Namibia’s presence in international markets. Namesho also highlighted strong government backing for the initiative and noted that a comprehensive business plan, including timelines and operational strategies, is currently in development.
Read Also;
https://trendsnafrica.com/namibias-sub-sea-engineering-project/
Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare expressed support for the expansion, calling it a strategic move to unlock agricultural potential in the Zambezi Region and drive agro-industrial growth. He emphasized that the facility will play a vital role in enhancing food security and promoting regional economic development. He added that the project aligns with directives from President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, who has called for each region to develop factories based on their unique agricultural strengths.
