Gail Thomson Can farmers simultaneously reduce greenhouse gas emissions, cut the amount of organic waste going to landfills, increase agricultural productivity and soil fertility, and improve food security in Namibia? According to Sven Gruttemeyer of Biocycle, Yes, they can! His not-so-secret weapon? Black soldier flies that convert organic waste into useful agricultural products. This is...
The success of any poultry production enterprise is significantly influenced by the health measures implemented by the farmer to ensure the continual safety of the bird enterprise. So times, farmers without a health programme, expose their ventures to problems such as bird ailments, mortality and retarded or stunted growth. Developing a simple, but yet effective...
Zebaldt Ngaruka One of Namibia’s budding sheep producers, Tjiuu Kaunatjike, from Okaundua Farming, says sheep farming is the best alternative for upcoming farmers, especially considering grazing challenges and limited land in communal areas. Kaunatjike (35) has been a leading figure at many local agricultural exhibitions, with his Meatmaster stud breed earning top awards like breed...
Building a sustainable and reputable farming business is a journey that requires commitment, dedication and hard work from a farmer and all teams on the farm. On average, it takes about 10 to 20 years for one to build a highly profitable farming enterprise. However, one of the critical concerns that most successful farmers face...
The Meat Corporation of Namibia (Meatco), the country’s largest meat processing and marketing entity, has successfully fulfilled and delivered the entire 1 200-tonne for its Norwegian beef quota. This marks yet another milestone for the organisation on the global stage. The final consignment of the 1 200-tonne Norwegian quota was loaded and shipped to that country...
As Namibian farmers eagerly anticipate a favourable rainy season, signs of climate change persist. Although the previous rainy season may have ended with a sigh of relief for farmers, every rainy season has become spatially and temporally unique in terms of its initiation, intensity, distribution and duration. This means farmers need to continuously prepare for...
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has called on local farmers to strategise and start treating agriculture as a smart, sustainable and youth-driven sector that can secure food security and economic growth. She made the remarks at the recent Agri-Outlook Conference in Windhoek, which was held under the theme ‘Harvesting the Future’. Nandi-Ndaitwah said agriculture is at the...
Zebaldt Ngaruka Okanene Brahman Stud bull ‘Pule’ contained its dominance at Agricultural exhibition events after it won top honours at the just-ended Windhoek Agricultural Show. Recently, the bull was also crowned Champ of Champs at the Gobabis Agricultural Show where it dominated in various Brahman categories. Owned by Kakunanganda Korupanda, the bull won the best...
Namibia’s crop sector is essential because it ensures food availability at household, regional, and national levels. It also generates much-needed employment opportunities that provide income for rural communities. One notable observation is that crop production is seasonal and primarily depends on the annual rainfall for farmers to grow staple grains for both the market and...
The 2025 Nedbank for Good Series successfully raised N$300 000 for Agra ProVision, up from N$250,000 raised last year. At the prizegiving of the final event, organisers for the series not only crowned new champions but also highlighted a commitment to community development. The funds were raised through auctions, which took place throughout the 13...