Sri Lanka to provide agricultural know-how to Namibia
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- Published on Monday, 19 March 2012 13:12
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The South African country Namibia has requested to provide technical assistance and know-how to develop their apparel sector and rice cultivation. Namibia is the world’s fifth-largest producer of uranium.
At present Tea and live fish are Sri Lanka’s main export items to Namibia. On a courtesy call made by the new High Commissioner of the Republic of Namibia to Colombo Samuel K. Mbambo on Minister of Commerce and Industry Rishard Bathiudeen, Mbando has said that Namibia is now starting to develop their apparel sector and the rice farming sectors, and they are eager to get tech and know-how support from Sri Lanka given the country’s successes in both these fields.
The Minister explaining about the long irrigation history and paddy cultivation in the country has said that Sri Lanka can help Namibia with regard to pre and post harvesting technologies and also irrigation methods focused on water conservation. As for apparels, the Minister has said that Sri Lanka is the world’s first ethical apparel sourcing destination, and in 2011 December alone, Sri Lanka’s apparel exports in all forms stood at 369.4 Million U.S.Dollars with an annual total export value for the same year at 4,039 Million U.S.Dollars. He has pointed out that Sri Lankan apparels now supply to top international labels such as Marks & Spencer, Victoria s Secret, House of Frazer, Diesel, H&M and SUZI Chin.
Meanwhile the Minister has told the Namibian Ambassador that Sri Lanka is keen to tap Namibia’s mining know-how, and he is pleased to observe Namibia encouraging its rare metal exports in raw form.
Namibian economy is structured mainly on mining which is about 25% of their revenues. The country was a German colony and later under South African apartheid rule. It became an independent nation on 21st March, 1990 after a long independence struggle carried out by the South West African People’s Democratic Organization (SWAPO). (niz+)
