Value addition training to boost small-scale mango farmers

Value addition training for small-scale mango farmers in the Zambezi region is being conducted this week to promote economic viability.

The four-day training is being conducted by the Zambezi Mango Farmers’ Association (Zamafa), in partnership with the Namibia Agronomic Board, the University of Namibia (Unam) and the European Union Economic Partnership Agreement office in Namibia.

The training, which began on Tuesday and runs till Friday, aims to encourage value addition among small-scale mango growers, enhancing economic benefits, improving food security and implementing better mechanisms to minimise post-harvest losses.

In an interview with Nampa, Unam food scientist Penny Hiwilepo-van Hal, who is facilitating the training, highlighted the potential of small-scale mango growers to maximise economic benefits by ensuring that no part of the fruit is wasted.

She noted that the training would equip farmers with both theoretical and practical knowledge about mango processing, including making mango pulp, preserving it, and creating other products such as jam and dried mango, among other possibilities.

Zamafa chairperson Alex Lisao noted that participants are fully paid-up members of Zamafa, with an annual membership fee of N$120.

“To qualify as a small-scale mango farmer, an individual must have at least 20 standing fruitful mango trees and other varieties of fruit trees,” Lisao said.

He urged farmers to make the most of the opportunity, emphasising the importance of adding value to their produce to avoid losses.

“The pulp can still be extracted, the mango can be dried and seedlings can be sold locally.

This is a training we couldn’t conduct last year, but with the support of our sponsors, it’s now possible. Farmers should ensure they take something valuable from this training,” he said.

Lisao expressed hope that by the end of the training, farmers would be able to make informed decisions, reducing market losses and preventing issues, such as the mango fruit fly in their orchards.

He advised farmers to manage the mango fruit fly by properly discarding rotten fruit, either by burying it or ensuring fruit fly traps are placed in orchards.

Zamafa currently has over 326 active members in its database.