The government says they are working on removing the veterinary cordon fence by 2032.
This is one of the resolutions arrived at as part of the second national land conference held about two years ago.
The cordon fence is also known as the red line is a pest-exclusion fence separating northern communal areas (NCA) of Namibia from the central and southern country parts.
The demarcation was created in 1896 in the hope to contain a Rinderpest outbreak in the Imperial German colony of South-West Africa.
It encases several northern regions: Oshana Region, Kavango East Region, Omusati Region, Zambezi Region, Omaheke Region, Kunene Region, and parts of Khomas Region and Oshikoto Region.
South of the fence today there are commercial farms where the farmers, many of which are white, own the land.
Most of these farms are fenced in and are accessible by constructed farm roads. North of the line, on the other hand, all farmland is communal and operated mostly by black farmers.
The red line is a highly guarded line which has roadblocks to check every vehicle which passes.
The progress report on the resolutions made during the second national conference says that the border needs to be demined and internal consultations between the agriculture ministry and the defence ministry in this regard are ongoing.
According to the report, as an immediate step to mediate the negative economic impacts of the fence on producers’ cordon fence of the fence while working on
modalities to remove the fence, the ministry is implementing the following activities in order to facilitate market access for the NCA farmers.
Renovation of NCA farmers: which are: Omutambo Maowe in Omusati region, Okongo in Ohangwena region, Oshivelo in Oshikoto region, Katima and Kopano in Zambezi region and Mangetti in Otjozondjupa region is ongoing.