Mashazi Mahoto
WINDHOEK – Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila was impressed after taking a familiarisation tour of the hydroponic fodder technology at the Namibia National Farmers Union (NNFU) head office in Windhoek on Friday last week.
Hydroponics is a technique of growing plants in water containing dissolved nutrients without using soil.
Namibia has been hard hit by a recurring drought over the past few years that have necessitated farmers to look for alternative grazing for their livestock. At the moment, most farmers are using fodder harvested from other areas of the country which is cumbersome and untimely. This technology is being piloted by NNFU in partnership with AgriTech Namibia.
Mwilima Mushokobanji, executive director of NNFU explained that “it takes only seven days to grow green fodder.”
Mushokobanji added that the fodder can be harvested after seven days from the day of planting and under normal circumstances, it would take at least another seven days for it to dry thereby making it easy for the fodder to be transported. Barley seeds are the preferred seeds for hydroponic fodder because it is highly nutritious and with 100 kilogrammess of barley seeds, at least 1000 kilogrammes can be harvested. “This technology allows farmers to grow fodder throughout the year,” he said.
Kuugongelwa-Amadhila was impressed and said, “Government will be looking at ways to assist farmers with finances to help them purchase the machines which can produce green fodder on a large scale.”
She concluded by saying local farmers must build resilience to the effects of this recurring drought.