Meatco’s Northern Communal Area (NCA) subsidiary, Meatco NCA, continues to play a strategic role in strengthening livestock value chains and supporting communal farmers in the Zambezi region, in line with Namibia’s long-term development vision and national planning priorities. Beyond its core mandate of livestock processing and market access, Meatco NCA’s work is closely aligned with...
In arid and semi-arid countries such as Namibia where water is a scarce resource, it is always advisable for farmers to engage in water conserving practices. The tillage or cultivation of land for the purpose of crop or vegetable production often exposes the soil to scorching sunlight, which speeds up evaporation and depletes moisture. A...
The Botswana Vaccine Institute (BVI) has acknowledged the scale of the current Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region and in response, the institute has vowed to elevate production processes to cater for the growing demand. Through this action, BVI continues to demonstrate its longstanding commitment to regional...
A few weeks ago, Jochem Versloot, the co-founder of Jan Zandbergen Group, one of Europe’s biggest meat products importers, visited Namibia and various local abattoirs to inspect and appreciate the quality of the country’s export-ready grass and grain-fed cattle. The Jan Zandbergen Group, Meatco’s foremost trade partner in the Netherlands and across the entire European meat...
KATIMA MULILO – Prominent horticulture farmer and conservation expert Morgan Saisai has strongly criticised modern monoculture farming. He said it severely degrades the soil and reduces crop yields. Saisai, who hails from a rural farming family in Izimwe village, has transformed his 2.4 hectares of productive farmland in Kabbe South in the Zambezi region into...
Raising chickens is rapidly becoming a lucrative farming enterprise that provides affordable protein to households across the country. However, there are critical factors that farmers must understand and adhere to ensure success. Firstly, to achieve success in chicken farming, housing is the most critical factor farmers must prioritise. Chicken coops must be designed in a...
Zebaldt Ngaruka Following recent complaints from crop farmers in the Omaheke region over the delayed dispatch of government tractors to assist with ploughing, Omaheke chief regional officer Peka Semba has explained that his office is busy crafting a permanent and sustainable solution for the use of state tractors. According to many farmers who spoke to...
As Namibia’s annual rainy season continues, it presents major opportunities for the nation’s agricultural sector to utilise the much-needed moisture to increase agricultural productivity and enhance its annual contribution to the GDP. If farmers use the rain appropriately, it can directly influence the outputs from many farming ventures. Rainfall plays a vital role in replenishing...
Annelie Coleman Fertility and optimum meat production are the two pillars of Diethelm and Katja Metzger’s Kamab Simbra Stud. The second-largest Simbra stud herd in southern Africa, which produces about 370 weaners a year. ‘Your profit is our concern’ is the motto of Diethelm and Katja Metzger’s Simbra stud, and this sentiment is firmly emphasised...
Crop farmers in the Kavango East region are anticipating bumper returns on their hard work, especially given the recent good rain showers witnessed countrywide, however, some are sceptical of what the future holds. The region’s farmers say inconsistent rainfall and prolonged dry spells have dampened hopes of a bumper harvest, with many crops struggling...