New NSI testing centre opened
The Namibian Standards Institute (NSI) officially opened its brand-new N$36 million testing centre in Walvis Bay. The construction of the building was fully funded by the government through the ministry of trade and industrialisation.
The new testing centre, which has been operational for the past year, is home to a metrology lab, fish-processing labs, cans inspection and sensory labs.
The minister of industrialisation and trade, Lucia Iipumbu, described the facility as a remarkable milestone.
She said the N$36 million expended on the project was money well spent.
“This underscores our unyielding resolve to place Namibia in a convenient position within the framework of producing quality products destined for international markets. The new facility provides for adequate space to conduct frozen and chilled fish inspections. This means that the inspectorate can process a much more diverse product range and process an increased quantity of products, thus allowing the NSI to move beyond frozen fish inspection as its central focus.”
Security
Iipumbu said that the import inspections for canned fish and meat, fishery and related products can now be realised, which contributes immensely towards food security for the Namibia consumer.
The minister emphasised that it is important for those in the food industry to produce food for Namibia's own consumption.
"There is a lucrative market outside the country for our locally produced products. But as proud Namibians, we should have the motto of ‘home first’. No Namibian should die of hunger while we know we are exporting galjoen to Spain and expecting to pay three times the price while selling to a Namibian. We should look into food sustenance as a critical element of our survival going forward.”
The ministry officially launched the European Union funded, twinning project titled ‘Support to the Namibian Standards Institution and the Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade’, in May 2022.
“This is an initiative aimed at rendering technical support in areas of standardisation, certification, trade and industry. Upon completion, this project will capacitate the inspection centre with technological compatible equipment to advance its operations, a move that will definitely increase Namibia’s trade capacity and prospects.”
Assistance
The metrology laboratory will be operationalised once the necessary equipment has been sourced through the same technical assistance project. “Once this is achieved, businesses in the Erongo region that require measurement services will be serviced for volume and mass metrology services from this metrology laboratory,” the minister said.
She reiterated that the government is committed to empowering local businesses.
Paloma Ellitson, the general manager of testing and inspection, explained that the centre supports the fishing industry. “We give support and facilitate the moving of products from Namibia to other markets, and we need to do this competently. The centre is already recognised through its accreditation. The building is thus complete because our testing laboratory is also accredited.”
The new testing centre, which has been operational for the past year, is home to a metrology lab, fish-processing labs, cans inspection and sensory labs.
The minister of industrialisation and trade, Lucia Iipumbu, described the facility as a remarkable milestone.
She said the N$36 million expended on the project was money well spent.
“This underscores our unyielding resolve to place Namibia in a convenient position within the framework of producing quality products destined for international markets. The new facility provides for adequate space to conduct frozen and chilled fish inspections. This means that the inspectorate can process a much more diverse product range and process an increased quantity of products, thus allowing the NSI to move beyond frozen fish inspection as its central focus.”
Security
Iipumbu said that the import inspections for canned fish and meat, fishery and related products can now be realised, which contributes immensely towards food security for the Namibia consumer.
The minister emphasised that it is important for those in the food industry to produce food for Namibia's own consumption.
"There is a lucrative market outside the country for our locally produced products. But as proud Namibians, we should have the motto of ‘home first’. No Namibian should die of hunger while we know we are exporting galjoen to Spain and expecting to pay three times the price while selling to a Namibian. We should look into food sustenance as a critical element of our survival going forward.”
The ministry officially launched the European Union funded, twinning project titled ‘Support to the Namibian Standards Institution and the Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade’, in May 2022.
“This is an initiative aimed at rendering technical support in areas of standardisation, certification, trade and industry. Upon completion, this project will capacitate the inspection centre with technological compatible equipment to advance its operations, a move that will definitely increase Namibia’s trade capacity and prospects.”
Assistance
The metrology laboratory will be operationalised once the necessary equipment has been sourced through the same technical assistance project. “Once this is achieved, businesses in the Erongo region that require measurement services will be serviced for volume and mass metrology services from this metrology laboratory,” the minister said.
She reiterated that the government is committed to empowering local businesses.
Paloma Ellitson, the general manager of testing and inspection, explained that the centre supports the fishing industry. “We give support and facilitate the moving of products from Namibia to other markets, and we need to do this competently. The centre is already recognised through its accreditation. The building is thus complete because our testing laboratory is also accredited.”
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