Namibia breaks ground with biomass production plant

Commissioned earlier this month, the pilot production plant outside Otjiwarongo will source a considerable volume of raw biomass (wood chips) and semi-processed biomass (wood pellets) from neighbouring farms to produce processed biomass in the form of bush-based animal feed and clean charcoal to export to global markets.

According to Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG) Project Manager, Mr. Gilbert Boois, the long-term impact of this plant to the economy sees two viable industrial value chains stemming from the encroachment bush. “The bush-based animal feed and environmentally clean charcoal (bio char) produced at this plant aids the growth of Namibia’s agro-processing industry creating sustainable jobs for the logistics industry as well”, he says.

The biomass plant originated from consultations between WBCG and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), under the auspices of Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade (MIT), in an effort to pursue industrial value chains in the agro-processing subsector.

The discussions with UNIDO and MIT culminated in developments in the biomass industry, notably on the bush processing value chain in Namibia, supported by the Government of Finland, Ministry of Agriculture, Water, Forestry and Land Reform and the Namibian Meat Board.