High energy costs threaten green schemes

(Photo credit: africa-press.net)

Green scheme managers from Kavango East and West regions, together with stakeholders, met in Rundu this week for a workshop hosted by the Electricity Control Board. The workshop aimed to identify sustainable electricity tariffs to ensure that energy costs do not undermine local food production.

Local green schemes currently spend around one million dollars per month on electricity, a figure that could threaten their long-term viability. Salomo Hei, Managing Director of High Economic Intelligence, warned that rising energy costs could have far-reaching economic consequences.

Hei explained that higher costs could make Namibian products less competitive in export markets, increase reliance on cheaper imported goods, and push up the price of essential commodities for households. Over time, this could affect standards of living and contribute to inflation, impacting both producers and consumers across the country.