EENHANA – A Chinese national has invested N$3 million in an urban agricultural project in Eenhana in order to assist the community to gain agricultural skills.
According to Jay Su, he started the project in 2011 to promote urban agriculture in the town.
Urban agriculture involves carrying out agricultural activities within a town’s boundaries aimed to boost the local economies of the towns engaging in agriculture.
He said his goose-rearing project is getting better and better every year but it will take 10 years to recoup the money he invested in the project since its inception.
On a 500-hectare plot of land that Su got from the town council, Chinam Agricultural Project produces vegetables, Mandarin ducks and free-ranging local chicken, among other products.
As for the Mandarin ducks, Su says he imported eggs from mainland China and put them in an incubator. Su said currently they have about 700 Mandarin ducks in their project. He further explained that he prefers Mandarin or Chinese ducks, as they are more productive compared to indigenous ducks.
“For example, if you have 100 local ducks they will get 20 or less eggs per day in comparison to Chinese ducks that will give you more than 50 eggs per day,” elucidated the Chinese entrepreneur.
He stated that normally they feed their ducks and chicken with vegetables that are not fit for human consumption.
Su said in this project they are using the latest technology in agriculture imported from China both in the fields of plant and animal husbandry so that they can set a good example for the community to acquire skills.
“We want to share our technology with anyone who is interested in agriculture,” said Su.
This project so far has employed 20 local people, 17 of them female.
“Firstly, local workers are employed and at the same time are trained in planting, and ducks and chicken farming skills. Therefore, we are urging the community to come to our project and ask information and skills related to agriculture,” he explained.
They have two Chinese technicians that are training the local people on various agricultural activities.
Institutions of higher learning such as the University of Namibia (Unam) Ogongo Campus, staff members of the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry as well as the Rural Development Centre in Ongwediva that have visited the project to enquire on the agricultural activities have benefited from the project, Su said.
Su informed this reporter that he has already submitted a proposal to the town council to develop the existing community project that is not functioning.
He further declared that he is willing to offer financial assistance to two or three students experiencing financial problems at institutions of higher learning.
“I already submitted the proposal to the Eenhana Town Council to provide me with two to three students schooling at Eenhana Vocational Centre but up to now to no avail,” he said.
However, the Eenhana Marketing and Corporate Communications Officer, Paullo Shilongo, said council appreciates Chinam Agricultural Project in terms of economic development and employment creation in the town. He further said that perhaps the names were not submitted due to the fact that VTC students are already funded by the government.
“The council has to follow up with the VTC if there are still students who need financial assistance,” said Shilongo. Shilongo further said if nothing is received from VTC, he advises Su to approach the Unam Ogongo Campus for students who need financial assistance.
Meanwhile, Su pointed out the need to do more on marketing, which he singled out as one of the project’s challenges. He said some of the local retailers are not interested in buying his locally produced products.