During his maiden visit to the Ogongo Campus, mid-week, the University of Namibia Chancellor, Dr Nangolo Mbumba was left speechless by the academic and research activities ongoing at the campus.

The Chancellor, since his inauguration in April this year, has had similar familiarisation visits to ten of the twelve University campuses. The Ogongo Campus stopover made it his eleventh so far. In the course of the Ogongo visit, the Chancellor interacted with staff members, under- and post-graduate students, while gaining an understanding on the various Campus activities. During the Campus tour, he was shown laboratory experiments on cowbean seeds and wild spinach (ombidi), exceptional horticulture practices, rice milling and dairy products.

Impressed by the ongoing activities, Dr Mbumba said, “Ogongo Campus is not just a cocoon in Omusati region, but an international flavoured community, with academic and research undertakings of great impression.” He encouraged the Campus “to continue helping the communities with tested solutions” and do it for “the interest and benefit of Namibia at large.”

The Campus, which is home to 174 female and 129 male students, including seven international students from four countries, has established itself as a research site of note in the region, if not the country at large. Its staff compliment of 45, from six nationalities including Namibia, are involved in amongst others, crop, climate change, conservation agriculture, poultry and rice studies.

According to the Assistant Director for Academic Affairs and Research, Dr Benisiu Thomas, the Campus is the only one that offers a Bachelor of Science in Crop Science and another in Integrated Environmental Science, specialising in Forestry. “If you take a satellite view of the Campus 4 000 ha and its far surroundings, we have the most forestation. Our forestland attracts rare bird species, that are hard to find in the northern parts of Namibia anymore,” asserts Dr Thomas.

The Campus aims to provide high quality education that promotes sustainable agricultural and natural resource development and management. It currently offers two Diplomas in Agriculture, as well as in Natural Resources Management; three BSc degrees, as well as Masters and PhDs (by thesis) programmes. Ogongo Campus is situated 50km from Oshakati town, with adequate hostel facilities and suitable staff housing.