Aus
The lives of three families eking out a living through low-yield small-stock are set to change for the better at Aus after they received high-quality goats worth N$26 000.
Nami#nus Constituency Councillor Jan Scholtz on Wednesday handed over 11 goats to each family, comprising of ten ewes and one ram each at the small farming settlement of Aus in the //Karas Region.
The three vulnerable families were identified by the chief administration officer at Aus.
During the handover Scholtz explained that the //Karas Regional Council, under the region-specific action plan, ‘Boer Goat’ identified Aus, together with Berseba, Karasburg East and West and Keetmanshoop Rural to benefit from the programme, through which goats are distributed for socio-economic upliftment.
Since Independence, the Namibian government requested all regions to submit region-specific action plans and nutritional programmes.
According to Scholtz, the main aim of the initiative was to address food shortages in the country and to roll back poverty.
Each region was requested to submit projects that would address and reduce, as well as improve, food security and nutritional programmes to sustain their inhabitants.
During the 2013/14 financial year, the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development funded each regional council under the region-specific action plan nutrition programme.
Scholtz explained that the //Karas Region selected Boer goat farming from the action plan they submitted to purchase the goats, as they are suitable for that area.
He said he is committed to supporting the inhabitants of Aus to ensure food security and restated President Hage Geingob’s stance, saying: “No one must die of hunger”.
Joseph Joseph, Lydia Witbooi and Janie Goliath benefited this time from the !Nami#nus Constituency programme, which is set to continue.
Scholtz emphasised that it was another milestone for Aus and the beneficiaries and in the same vein implored the communities to look after their animals and to ensure they multiply, so that other people could also benefit from the livestock revolving scheme.
One of the beneficiaries, 31-year-old Joseph Joseph, applauded the government for initiating such a programme that will allow other people to also benefit through him, as he will ensure his goats multiply.