Kavango West is on the right trajectory to become Namibia’s breadbasket as the premier food producing region, its governor Sirrka Ausiku has said.
Ausiku is also impressed with the resilience and innovation shown by young and old farmers, especially those in deep rural areas.
She said, despite the many challenges they face, farmers are fully on board with the regional leadership’s vision and understand the importance of working towards elevating the region’s status as the country’s breadbasket.
Ausiku expressed her gratitude during the recent Kavango West Farmers Union’s second ordinary congress at Nkurenkuru.
The indaba was attended by farmers from all pockets of the region.
“The regional leadership and I truly appreciate and applaud the commitment shown by our farmers. As a government, we will continue to support our journey to become self-sufficient, and to make our beloved Kavango West region the breadbasket of the country. I am happy with the way you are organised as farmers, because if our farmers are not well organised, our region will not develop and reach its goals. We must work together,” she urged.
The governor also touched on the importance of improving the entire farming value chain, mentioning things such as improved roads, access to markets, adequate training and continuous support from all stakeholders.
“Government has been hard at work, improving our road networks, so that farmers can easily transport their products, and it has also been creating markets for our local farmers. But these are all ongoing efforts, and that means we should be patient and meet government halfway where we can,” Ausiku noted.
Because of its rather high rainfall, compared to other parts of Namibia and its location along the Kavango River, after which it was named, the region has agricultural potential for the cultivation of a variety of crops, as well as for organised forestry and agro-forestry, which also stimulates furniture-making and related industries.
Amongst the many government efforts is the Rundu abattoir in the Kavango East region, which the politician said is also open to farmers in her region and should be fully made use of by all.
The ministry of agriculture this year handed over this abattoir to Meatco for operations. The facility, which had been under construction since 2014, cost N$170 million.
It has a slaughter capacity of between 80 to 120 cattle per day and will additionally slaughter small stock at that capacity.