By William Mbangula
ONDANGWA
Members of the Mangetti Farmers Association (MFA) will hold talks with government on June 18 as part of the efforts to gradually shift the red line and find alternative grazing land for the communal farmers.
This information emerged during a meeting here. The meeting was scheduled to be addressed by the Minister of Agriculture, Water and Forestry, Dr Nickey Iyambo, Minister of Lands and Resettlement Jerry Ekandjo, and traditional leaders of Ondonga.
Although the traditional leaders of Ondonga attended the meeting, they did not present their case. No one from the government attended. Instead, Ekandjo invited the MFA to send a delegation to Windhoek for talks with him.
Dr Iyambo could not attend reportedly because of a death in the family.
Farmers from the North have recently been under pressure to find alternative grazing land because of overstocking following their dislocation from the Kavango region. Most of the farmers have left the Kavango region and are now exploring ways to find greener pastures for their animals. As a result, they have been lobbying the government under the MFA to provide them with suitable grazing land and potential marketing opportunities, hence the envisaged meeting on June 18.
The well-attended meeting at Ondangwa appointed an eight-member committee comprising farmers from various communal areas designated for alternative grazing land. These are the Chairperson of MFA Ismael Shailemo, former school inspector Abednego Nghifikwa, Old Mutual Senior Manager Thomas Ndiwakalunga, former Governor of Oshikoto region Reverend Hosea Namupala, businessman from Okalongo Shikuma Shilongo, former Mayor of Ondangwa Priskilla Kauna Nashandi, Martin Haikali and Petrus Shipepe, a communal farmer from Omusati.
The meeting deliberated on many issues affecting the communal farmers, most especially the red line. They commended the government’s intention to gradually shift the red line.
Besides, the farmers are also satisfied with the government’s envisaged arrangement to create alternative grazing areas at Uuvudhiya and Omutambogwomawe in Oshana and Omusati regions respectively.
Some of the said issues will form part of the agenda on June 18 when the MFA meets the government officials led by the Minister of Lands and Resettlement.
Another burning issue raised at the meeting was the concern over the mushrooming of homesteads and shebeens in the Mangetti and other farming areas. It is said that the farming activities are no longer being carried out to full potential because cattle herders are only frequenting shebeens. In most cases, such indulgences result in incidents of anti-social behaviour.
Again, homesteads are not wanted in the farming areas because once such areas are turned into residential areas, this will negatively affect farming. MFA Chairman Shailemo urged fellow farmers to think in terms of Vision 2030, which cannot be achieved if shebeens and homesteads are allowed to flourish in areas that are supposed to be the domain for farming only.