![[Namibia] Industrias Alimentarias de Navarra targets farmers with asparagus growing to sate global demand](Asparagus.jpg)
[Namibia] Industrias Alimentarias de Navarra targets farmers with asparagus growing to sate global demand
Industrias Alimentarias de Navarra (IAN) Grupo Alimentario a Spanish company intends to train farmers to in Namibia to grow asparagus which they will then sell to the company as it seeks to sate growing demand for the crop in the international market.
According to Spain's ambassador to Namibia Concepción Figuerola, local farmers will have the opportunity to be taught how to cultivate asparagus. They could then sell the produce to the company's factory which would be based in the region for exportation.
“Locals will have an opportunity to make capital from the project through producing for the factory and through employment,” she said. Other Spanish companies are developing a 35 megawatt solar plant at Mariental and a five megawatt solar energy plant at Rosh Pinah.
“All these projects aim to boost Namibia's economy in terms of revenue and employment,” she explained.
Figuerola said the Spanish government is keen to work with Namibia in higher education, adding that students would then be able to do their internships at Spanish companies in both Namibia and Spain.
Spain has invested about N$1,3 billion in Namibia since Independence in 1990, the ambassador said. Spain consumes the second-largest amount of fish in the world and has several fish factories at Walvis Bay and Lüderitz which employ about 5 000 local people.
