Windhoek
Namibian livestock farmers were hailed as national treasures last Friday evening when the head of legal and compliance at Hollard Namibia, Ruth Chun, saluted them for their perseverance in farming under harsh conditions and still producing world-class red meat.
As one of the keynote speakers at the annual Meatco Producer of the Year Awards, Chun touched on the subject of climate change in the savannahs of Namibia, lauding local farmers for their courage in the face of consistently dry years and in the face of climate change challenges.
She noted that farming under the harsh Namibian sun and in the absence of an abundance of water, local farmers are faced with everyday risks and stressed the importance of insurance for all farmers to cover and help them manage such risks, so that they can conduct their business and produce some of the finest meat in the world.
“While we cannot insure farmers against the rains not coming, we can protect them for the basics, such as their vehicles, equipment, livestock (fire and lightning incidents), stud-breeding and game, goods in transit and personal and general liability. We at Hollard also offer cover for financing of livestock and funeral cover for all farm workers,” she noted.
She urged farmers to seriously consider what they need to protect on their farms, remarking that one cannot predict life’s curveballs.
“One of the hallmarks of the Hollard way is forging and sustaining partnerships. Every farmer, insured with us, enjoys a partnership, just as we have partnered across Africa among diverse industries such as major financial institutions, retailers and car dealer to form dynamic business relationships,” she concluded.