345 Youths Graduate from NYS Charcoal Training Project
Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare has emphasized the need to fully capitalize on the country’s charcoal industry.Dr. Ngurare stated that the industry is strategic and capable of addressing key national priorities such as environmental sustainability, land restoration, economic diversification, and youth employment.
He made these remarks at the closing ceremony of the National Service Training Crash Course at Rietfontein and during the launch of the Charcoal Youth Self-Employment Project.Namibia is one of the largest exporters of charcoal globally, with key markets in South Africa, Germany, and the UK, and strong growth potential in China, Japan, the Middle East, and Turkey.
With the launch of the Charcoal Youth Self-Employment Project in Rietfontein, trained youths will now be recruited to produce biomass at various government farms.“Our country is endowed with abundant natural resources, including biomass. These resources must be leveraged to create much-needed youth employment. Against this backdrop, the government has made deliberate efforts to provide financial resources to the line ministry, specifically for the youth self-employment project in charcoal and biomass production. I am informed that, to date, about 630 youths, selected from all 14 regions of the Republic of Namibia, have undergone and completed the three mandatory training phases of the programme,” he said.
The Prime Minister encouraged the National Youth Service to go beyond foundational skills training by intensifying efforts in value addition, enhancing access to local and international markets, and supporting the establishment and growth of youth-led businesses in the industry.
He noted that such an approach would strengthen the charcoal industry’s contribution to poverty reduction, sustainable livelihoods, and broader national development goals.
Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts, and Culture Minister Sanet Steenkamp pledged to continue funding biomass projects if assessments reveal they are fostering self-employment and self-sufficiency among the youth.
“We will have to assess how successful and impactful this charcoal production initiative is in terms of youth self-employment. If we find that it truly transforms lives, we must commit — and we will commit — to continuously funding this project. That is the commitment we are making today,” she said. At the event, about 345 recruits who completed the one-month crash course joined the 255 who had previously completed their training and are currently in production at the NYS Germsbok Farm.
