The implementation of the National Rangeland Policy and Strategy gained momentum with its inclusion as an activity in the Annual Sectoral Execution Plan of the Ministry of Agriculture, Water & Forestry. During the workshop which recently was held by the Ministry, the NAU, who is the secretariat for the National Rangeland and Bush Encroachment Forum, ensured that the implementation of the Strategy is taken into this program as an activity.
Furthermore other activities in the program are assistance to commercial farmers for de-bushing and the development of a Strategy for de-bushing of communal areas.
The NAU In the meantime has submitted a draft proposal to the European Union for financing under the banner of climate change which directly has an effect on activities of de-bushing and the implementation of the National Rangeland Strategy. The objective is to create an Implementing Unit which will be responsible to execute these activities under the supervision of the National Rangeland and Bush Encroachment Forum.
In the meantime the German Aid Group, the GIZ, indicated that they are interested to become part of this process. The GIZ’s activities are mainly focused on the economic use of bio mass in which ever form and will be supplementary to the activities as contained in the action plans of the Ministry of Agriculture.
Ear tags available again
The standard ear tags are available again. Orders can now be placed at your agents again.
The amount of ear tags which were sold during the first quarter of this year exceeded the amount of last year and thus the stock was taken up for 6 working days. The Meat Board is busy with supply arrangements in order to prevent such a situation.
Ear tags can also be bought directly at the Ear Tag office of the Meat Board. Small orders (up to 200 ear tags) are immediately processed. Bigger orders might take one or two days to be processed. The office can be contacted at Tel 061 275863, Eartags@nammic.com.na.
SWAKARA auction
The next SWAKARA auction will be held on April 10 in Copenhagen, Denmark and Agra has sent 68 500 SWAKARA pelts to Copenhagen last week. Representatives from Agra, the SWAKARA Board, Paul Steyn the winner of the Agra/Copenhagen Pelts Quality award as well as the Permanent Secretaries of the Ministries of Trade & Industry and Agriculture, Water & Forestry will attend the auction.
SWAKARA also attended the biggest and most important pelts show in the world, the Hong Kong International Pelts Show from February 25 – 28, 2014 and were also represented at the Milan International Pelts Show from March 4 –7.
FA and other news
John Deere Financial, Standard Bank and Hoffmann’s are hosting a Mini Agronomic Day on April 1 at 09:00 at the Summerdown FA hall. Gert Coetzer will talk about conservation farming and at 15:30 a sightseeing of the grounds will take place. The day is concluded with a dinner. For further details contact Herman Coetzee, Tel 061 2942451, Herman.Coetzee@standardbank.com.na or Gerhard Mukuahima, Tel 061 2942684, Gerhard.Mukuahima@standardbank.com.na.
Dr Michael Bradfield is offering a Breedplan course on April 2 at 14:00 at the Agra/Bank Windhoek Ring, Windhoek Showgrounds. All breeders of different races are welcome and there is a limited amount of 50 breeders who can attend. The theme of the course is “A LIVE DIAGNOSTIC ON SUBMITTED SAMPLE ANIMALS. Practical demonstrations will be given and please register before March 27 at simnamibia@gmail.com.
Gert Coetzer a consultant in Sustainable Conservation Farming in cooperation with the APA is hosting a farmers day on April 2 at 14:00 at Farm Venus of Klaas Malan. Registration is N%50 per person and further details can be obtained from Gerhard Engelbrecht, Tel 081 1270025. Please register with willemiens@iway.na.
A Bonsmara judging day will be held on April 2 at 08:00 at Farm Omantumba, 25km north of Hochfeld. The course will look at practical selection: phase D bulls, practical selection: heifers and course attendants will be tested and thereafter given certificates. Please register before March 25 with omantumba@iway.na. For any further enquiries contact Streicher Coetzee, Tel 081 1298387, Hella Coetzee, Tel 081 2036484 or Kiep Lepen, Tel 081 1240648.
Okahandja FA is holding a member meeting on April 2 at 14:00 at Farm Omongongua of Gabi and Helmuth Fischer. The day will be concluded with a braai. For further details contact Rudi Scheidt, Tel 081 2086961, okahandjabv@gmail.com.
Osire-Waterberg FA is holding a meeting on April 8 at 14:00 at the Osire FA hall. Guest speakers are Adv Rukoro of Meatco and Johann Groenewald of Dorsland Boom Lusern Namibia. The day is concluded with a Bring and Braai. For further details contact Anka Visher, Tel 067 306208, hpvisher@iway.na.
Blumfelde FA is holding a member meeting on April 9 at 09:00 at the FA hall. Guest speaker is Esta Posma who will talk about farming tax and VAT. For further details contact Magret Binneman, Tel 062 581099, binneman@iway.na.
Leonardville FA is holding a member meeting on April 9 at 16:00 at the FA hall. Guest speakers are Johny of Johny’s Auto Electric and representatives from Standard Bank Gobabis, Sanlam, the Social Security Commission and the Roads Authority. For further details contact Ellen Burger, Tel 062 581010, lbv@iway.na.
The member meeting of the Agronomic Producers Association and the Master Agronomist Day will be held on April 10 at Farm Ghaub of Mr Andre Compion in the Grootfontein vicinity. The member meeting will start at 08:30 and the Master Agronomist Day at 12:00. For further details contact Marianne Pretorius, Tel 061 237838, joc@agrinamibia.com.na.
Dordabis FA is holding a member meeting on April 10 at 13:00 at the FA hall. Guest speaker is Mr Greg Christelis who will talk about border crossing underground water. For further details contact Christine Romeis, Tel 061 231230, cwromeis@iway.na.
A Pioneer Maize Farmers Day is held on April 10 at 08:30 at Farm Baltimore of Mr Raymond van Eeden and is hosted by Aqualand. Speakers are Mr Dirk Prinsloo of Aqualand and Messrs Johan Kock and Philip Fourie of Pioneer and at 08:45 a farm sightseeing will be held. Please register before April 7 with Dirk, Tel 081 2434077, dirk@aqualand.com.na.
The member meeting of the Poultry Producers Association is held on April 16 at 08:30 at the NAU board room, 114 Robert Mugabe Ave, Windhoek. Please register before April 2 with Marianne Pretorius, Tel 061 237838, joc@agrinamibia.com.na.
A Sakata Vegetable Farmers Day is held on April 24 at 08:30 at Farm Windpoort of Mr Hannes Grobbelaar and hosted by Aqualand. Speakers are Mr Erwin Schimper of Aqualand and Christa Maritz and Jan van der Merwe of Sakata. At 08:45 a farm sightseeing will be held. Please register before April 18 with Dirk, Tel 081 2434077, dirk@aqualand.com.na.
Keinab FA is hosting a shooting day on April 26 at 07:00 at the FA hall. There are 5 categories which can be entered at Competition 1, namely hunting rifle, hand weapon, .22 rifle, airgun and kettie and Competition 2 is clay pigeon shooting. Registration fees for Competition 1 are N$200 and enquiries can be addressed to F Jordaan, Tel 063 683487, frikjordaan@yahoo.com, J van Niekerk, Tel 063 683485, jacovn@afol.com.na of K Visser, Tel 063 683491, sdoorn@afol.com.na.
The Outjo Game Festival and game auction will be held on May 2 & 3 at the Sophienhof Lodge. On May 2 the program starts at 08:00 and at 19:00 Ray Dylan performs and at 21:00 die Broers. On May 3 the program starts at 07:00 with a target shooting competition and prizes worth N$7 000 can be won. At 10:00 a rodeo will be held and at 19:00 Theuns Jordaan will perform and at 21:00 again die Broers. Registration for each day will be N$100 per adults and N$50 for children. A weekend ticket, thus for both days, will be N$180 for adults and N$80 for children. For further details contact Fanie Heimstädt, Tel 081 2053909 or Albie van Niekerk, Tel 081 2413710. The game auction is held on May 3 at 14:00 and further details can be obtained from Heidi, Tel 081 1281606 or Beate, Tel 081 1248230.
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
||