28/07/2026
Agriculture, Innovation and Opportunity Take Centre Stage on Day Two of the Rehoboth Youth Connect Festival & Expo 2026
Agriculture, livestock development, education and entrepreneurship emerged as the driving themes on Day Two of the Rehoboth Youth Connect Festival & Expo 2026, as hundreds of young people and residents explored a wide range of opportunities aimed at equipping them for sustainable livelihoods and economic participation.
With agriculture remaining one of Namibia's most resilient and promising sectors, exhibitors placed significant emphasis on demonstrating how young people can build successful careers beyond traditional employment by venturing into livestock production, crop farming, agro-processing, agribusiness and value addition.
Visitors were able to participate in information sessions, live demonstrations, advisory services and one-on-one consultations, giving them direct access to experts and institutions that are actively investing in Namibia's next generation of producers and entrepreneurs.
The interactive exhibition format allowed attendees to move freely between exhibition stands, engage directly with professionals and receive tailored advice on education, skills development, funding opportunities, business support and career pathways.
Institutions represented included the Livestock and Livestock Products Board of Namibia (LLPBN), the Namibia Agronomic Board, Agribank of Namibia, the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), the Namibia Training Authority (NTA), the International College of Lingua, the Development Workshop Namibia (DWN), alongside local arts and crafts exhibitors.
Collectively, these exhibitors showcased opportunities spanning agriculture, livestock production, tertiary education, vocational training, enterprise development, financing and the creative economy, demonstrating the many avenues available for young people to unlock their potential.
During a guided media tour of the exhibition, Rehoboth Town Council's Acting Strategic Executive for Community Services and Local Economic Development, Ms Desire Pieters, said the Expo was intentionally designed to bring opportunities closer to the people.
"The Expo provides opportunities for attendees to obtain direct access to offices and institutions that are not accessible to most of our people and inhabitants due to various reasons."
She encouraged the youth of Rehoboth not to allow the opportunity to pass them by, but instead to come and engage with exhibitors, ask questions and discover programmes that could transform their educational, professional and entrepreneurial journeys.
"It is a known fact, and institutions concur, that the people of the south are not participating in programmes which are available. We made it our responsibility to do the legwork and open the doors for our people to benefit, and to subsequently move away from being job seekers to becoming job creators and be part of the dialogue."
Another highlight of the day was the participation of Development Workshop Namibia (DWN), which provided information on affordable housing opportunities available to qualifying residents.
Members of the public interested in accessing these programmes were encouraged to visit the DWN office located within the Rehoboth Town Council premises, where officials are available to provide guidance on the housing options and application processes. The Council hopes that increased awareness of this service will enable more residents to benefit from opportunities that have long been available but remain underutilized.
The Expo continues throughout the week, and the Rehoboth Town Council encourages residents, particularly young people, job seekers, aspiring entrepreneurs, farmers particularly on the Rehoboth Townlands as well as school leavers, to make time to attend.
