Kae MaÞunÿu-Tjiparuro
Windhoek-For some of the exhibitors of animals from the regions of Omaheke and Otjozondjupa who have just exhibited at the Okakarara Trade Fair, which ended on Saturday, the game is by no means over.
The next stop is the Omaheke Region for the annual interregional agricultural show being held in the settlement of Aminuis until Saturday. Nichlas Mbingeneeko, the head of communications and marketing of the organising committee under the auspices of the Omaheke Regional Farmers Union (ORFU), says they are expecting to receive big livestock today (Tuesday) for the show, which takes place until Saturday.
It terms of organisation, despite the short notice for Aminuis Constituency to host this year’s edition, which was scheduled to have been hosted by Otjombinde Constituency but that has indicated that logistically it is unready, Mbingeneeko says they are ready with the basics like water, electricity and the pens for big livestock while the pens for small stock are being assembled.
Small stock are expected to be registered the latest by tomorrow (Wednesday) to allow for the classification of all zero incisers by Thursday.
Friday sees the judging of all sheep starting from 09h00 with the official opening of the event the same day between 11h30 and 13h00, with the keynote address by the Meat Board of Namibia’s Goliath Tujendapi. He will speak on the Role of Livestock/Crop Farming in Ensuring Food Security and the Alleviation of Hunger and Poverty.
The chair of ORFU, Lesley Kauandara, will conclude the official opening to pave the way for the continuation of sheep judging after 14h00 on the day. This continues on Saturday parallel to the judging of goats and cattle, culminating in the identification of breed champions and the prize-giving. Mbingeneeko says in terms of governmental and industrial exhibitors this is a golden opportunity for especially the Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration to dish out unclaimed documents like IDs, which have been swelling the shelves of the ministry, but sadly noting the conspicuous absence in particular of corporate exhibitors in the past.
He also emphasises the need for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), especially those indigenous to the two regions, to showcase their cultural artefacts like traditional containers, omahoro and traditional children’s wear made from processed tans known as omitjira. Registration fees are N$200 for kapana vendors, N$150 for SMEs and N$300 for corporations, GRN offices, ministries and agencies.
Among the entertainment attractions at the show are a beauty contest and music ala oviritje, which this year is being organised by the successful tenderer with the show society taking no responsibility for this. This year the gate-taking has also been tendered out and the successful tenderer must pay the requisite agreed upon amount upfront and then recoup such from the gate-takings. Any profit will be for the pocket of the tenderer as long as the society was paid requisite tender amount upfront.
The Omaheke-Otjozondjupa interregional show dates back to more than ten years ago as an initiative to encourage cross-fertilisation of husbandry skills among farmers from the two respective regions, which are among the leading red meat producing regions in the country. This year’s interregional show follows shortly on the heels of the Aminuis annual show held on September 8 and 9.