Namibia is looking to enhance its industrialization and sustainable blue economy growth by focusing on salmon farming, as stated by Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Land Reform Ruthy Masake. Masake highlighted the country’s shift from traditional wild-catch fishing to high-value aquaculture and agro-processing industries during a conference themed ‘Unlocking Namibia’s Salmon Industry: An Opportunity for Industrialisation’.
The development of a domestic salmon value chain in Namibia is expected to attract foreign direct investment, generate skilled and semi-skilled employment opportunities, improve cold-chain and agro-processing infrastructure, and boost export revenues. Masake emphasized that leveraging Namibia’s advantages such as the cold Benguela Current system, stable governance, and investor-friendly policies positions the country competitively in the global salmon aquaculture market.
Salmon, being a highly traded and consumed fish globally, holds premium markets in Europe, Asia, and North America. Masake pointed out that industrial salmon farming could lead to controlled production, enhanced biosecurity, and more predictable output, addressing challenges posed by climate change and overfishing on wild fish stocks.
