On Friday, farm owners and some residents of Etunda and surrounding areas in the Omusati region held a demonstration to call for the closure of the Otjimbele asparagus operation at the Etunda green scheme.
The farmers claimed that the farm management installed a device that prevents rain, despite flash floods in the area recently.
At the centre of the storm was an automatic weather station (AWS), used for real-time information on weather at the farm level. The AWS also provides information on soil moisture and soil temperature, giving better information on irrigation requirements.
Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform Calle Schlettwein said asparagus doesn’t prevent rain, and it is totally illogical to say that plants influence weather patterns.
The minister reiterated that the claims are a myth and unfounded allegations, and should thus be disregarded.
He said this during the demonstration of new agriculture equipment and machinery held at Ohakweenyanga village in the Oshana region on Saturday.
Schlettwein stated that people should stop listening to misinformation.
“This weather equipment has nothing to do with changing weather patterns. There is no evidence that asparagus is changing weather. It is completely unfounded to say that the weather station and equipment is changing weather at Etunda,” he explained.
The minister added that the weather stations at Etunda measure how the weather is changing, but do not change the weather.
“In fact, I wish I could give all the small farmers a small weather station so that the farmers could be aware of this equipment, the environment and those plants to have a better understanding,” he said.
“We, as farmers, should know that plants need rain, and they cannot grow without water. In fact, on the asparagus plantation we irrigate, we put borehole water on the ground to let them grow,” he stated.
He further emphasised that the farmers should know that the government has invested in agricultural production. Therefore, if Etunda closes down, it will simply cause poverty for more people.
Close to 800 people are employed at the Etunda project.
NBC reported that the aggrieved residents later withdrew their petition on claims about the asparagus project.