The HCPRP is an initiative of the Namibia National Farmers Union and the Namibia Agricultural Union to contribute to rural poverty reduction in Namibia, specifically in the Hardap and Karas Regions, by commercializing Hoodia production and developing it into an industry that will stimulate economic growth. The three hundred direct project beneficiaries (households) comes from the following categories, namely communal farmers, village and settlement residents, unemployed youth, physically challenged individuals, the elderly, people living with HIV/AIDS and shack dwellers.

The project aims to establish Hoodia based small and medium enterprises create new employment opportunities and provide alternative forms of income for rural communities.

The project is funded over a two year period (October 2007 until October 2009) by the European Union through the National Authorising Officer of the European Development Fund, the National Planning Commission Secretariat of the Government of the Republic of Namibia through their Rural Poverty Reduction Program, and implemented in partnership with the Namibia Development Trust, RISE Namibia, the Shack Dwellers Federation/Namibia Housing Action Group, the Hardap and Karas Regional Councils and the Hoodia Growers Association of Namibia (HOGRAN).

The project has four key objectives namely:

• Strengthen the institutional capacity of HOGRAN
• Strengthen the project’s management capacity
• Enhance the capacity of small scale Hoodia growers to improve production in the Hardap and Karas regions
• Improve the marketing of Hoodia products

For further information please contact:

The Namibia National Farmers’ Union
P.O. Box 3117
Windhoek
Tel: +264 (61) 271117
Fax: +264 (61) 271155
Email: manungo@nnfu.org.na (Daisy Nheta- Manungo)