Government has announced comprehensive financial aid due to the prevailing drought, which has severely affected most parts of the country and has advised farmers to destock to avoid serious losses.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry (MAWF) is urging livestock farmers, who do not have enough grazing for animals, to sell their livestock while they are still in good condition, as the effects of drought worsen.
Furthermore, selling animals in good condition means receiving optimum prices for them. Therefore, farmers are advised to destock as soon as possible in order to safeguard their livelihoods.
Abraham Nehemia, acting Permanent Secretary of MAWF, says farmers who heed the ministry’s advice to destock in a bid to mitigate the effects of the drought would be able to participate and benefit from the ministry’s Livestock Marketing Incentive and the Lease of Grazing and Transport schemes.
The two schemes to be implemented, follow a government announcement of an interim drought relief programme of some N$300 million recently after a thorough study was completed on the situation of crop farmers and food security.
The short-term implementation hereof was launched on May 1 and would last until July this year, after which a new assessment will pave the way for further drought relief aid, if it will be needed.
In order to benefit from the Livestock Marketing Incentive Scheme, farmers are requested to keep the following documents upon destocking in line with the aforementioned advice: sale summary or sales statement and certified copies of the animal movement permits together with the movement records attached thereto.
According to the Livestock Marketing Incentive Scheme, producers will receive N$80 per small stock and N$400 per large stock sold and farmers have been warned to keep proper records of the number of animals sold.
Farmers who transport their animals to emergency grazing areas qualify for a subsidy of 50 cents of the freight transport tariff to a maximum of N$16 per km, for a maximum distance of 500 km.
Lessee will qualify for 50 cents of the lease tariff per head per month. The maximum to qualify for is N$40 per large stock per head/unit per month for a maximum of 10 head of cattle.
For small stock, a maximum of N$500 to a maximum of 600 head of small stock or a combination of small and large stock is payable.
As directed by Cabinet, MAWF will, in consultation with farmers and other stakeholders, work out a strategy to assist farmers to restock after destocking as a result of the drought situation.
The documents, which the farmers have to provide in order to participate in the Lease of Grazing and Transport Subsidy Scheme, are the following: short-term lease agreement for grazing, proof of lease of grazing payments (receipts), proof of payment of transport fees, certified copies of the animal movement permits together with the movement records attached thereto.
For any further information, livestock farmers are advised to go to their nearest Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry office.