Zebaldt Ngaruka
The drought situation in the communal areas of Okakarara, Omatako, Tsumkwe, and Okahandja constituencies is getting worse and farmers continue to call for government’s interventions.
Jackson Hindjou, who is the secretary general of the Otjozondjupa Regional Farmers Union (ORFU), shared with AgriToday that livestock conditions in most parts of the region have deteriorated and farmers are now losing their animals in big numbers.
Most farmers, Hindjou said, cannot afford to buy supplementary licks and other vital fodder as their financial resources have depleted, hence their call for government to fast track its drought relief programme.
“This situation started early mid-year, and farmers that had some livestock to sell did so to keep up the remaining animals. But because the situation is becoming worse every month, they are left with no livestock to market anymore. This is now affecting their ability and means to sustain the remaining livestock,” said Hindjou.
Hindjou added that some animals have already become immobile and unable to stand on their own due to the poor grazing conditions and the scorching heat.
The regional farmers body is furthermore calling on the Office of the Prime Minister to speed up the process of implementing the modalities for drought relief measures to farmers in the region, especially to those deep in the rural setups.
“We do not want to see a situation where these measures become activated next year when the situation has improved because some areas would have received rainfall by then. Farmers needed this support already by July this year, but now things have worsened and help from government is slow to come by,” added the newly elected secretary general.
He also shared that farmers are now desperately moving to the underutilised areas in the eastern parts of the country in search of better grazing.
On the scarcity of water, Hindjou said the government tried several times to drill boreholes in these far eastern areas but failed, and thus, the only means of getting water to their livestock is through a pipeline scheme.
“ORFU is ready to work with the Directorate of Animal Production, Engineering and Extension Services in ensuring that necessary services are ready to serve our farmers in the region across different communal areas.”
One of the affected farmers is Christof Vetumbuavi Kavita, a pensioner from Okarui village of the Otjozondjupa region, who said he has already lost lots of cattle in August and some are about die as they are unable to move. He too said government assistance is too slow to reach them.
Kavita said that he is not happy with the government calling on farmers to sell their livestock to benefit from the subsidy.
“It is not really fair to sell our livestock that are in such poor condition, as the prices are low at the moment. It will be like throwing our animals away,” said Kavita, who survives mainly from his monthly pension.
Sharing the same cry was 73-year-old Oscar Viakondo from Outa village, who said government needs to do more to cater for and reach all small and big farmers.