Etunda
Vice-President Dr Nickey Iyambo says government is ready to provide seeds to white farmers to ensure they partake in food production and self-reliance programmes.
He also defended the government’s policy whereby any Namibian could be resettled in any part of the country without considering their race or ethnic group.
“If government is providing seeds to black farmers, we also need to ask who of the white farmers are in need of seeds and in that way we encourage them to produce food which will benefit the whole country. We were just not assisting them because we wanted black farmers to stand up for themselves and establish themselves,” said Iyambo.
Iyambo made the remarks recently at Etunda Irrigation Project during his two-day visit to Omusati Region.
Iyambo said the country has enough resources to become self-reliant in food if everyone partakes in food production.
The vice-president encouraged unemployed youths in the informal settlements to return to their villages during the rainy season to assist the elderly in the crop fields and subsequently contribute to food production.
Iyambo, who spoke fondly about the fight against hunger, encouraged Etunda managers and farmers to inculcate a culture of growing more than enough and store the surplus food for times of drought.
He said that in future government will also look at possibilities of securing water in order to grow surplus animal fodder, which could be used during the dry season when there is less food available.
But he warned against people making racial and tribalism statements that could disturb the country’s existing peace and harmony. He said the statement made by the Deputy Minister of Land Reform Bernadus Swartbooi that his senior, Utoni Nujoma, is allocating land to other tribes at the expense of southerners is divisive and not in the interest of nation building.
He further said such remarks are dragging the country back to colonial tribally based segregation.
Iyambo, said the constitution allows individuals to settle anywhere in the country.
“Why is he not coming to look for a farm in Outapi?” questioned the vice-president.