Maltese potatoes to help 500,000 in drought-stricken Namibia

Malta is to donate 468 tonnes of potatoes to drought-stricken Namibia in a gesture expected to benefit nearly half a million people.

This after a call for the provision of 500 tonnes of potatoes was issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Three providers came forward and offered a total of 468 tonnes. The primary criteria for the call was that the potatoes be local produce, bought from local farmers. The Ministry bought the potatoes for €187,200, of which €140,400 or 75% will be going directly to the local farmers who supplied the crop to the exporters.

"Under the Solidarity Malta heading, this initiative by the Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs, supported by the Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights and Trade Malta, is being done through the Overseas Development Aid Fund," the ministry said in a statement. "This act of solidarity with Namibia, which underwent a severe drought exacerbated by the spread of COVID-19, is expected to help around half a million persons."

The consignment will be shipped to Namibia on Monday and is expected to arrive around the last week of August.