Victoria Kaapanda
Many communal farmers in northern Namibia are currently harvesting their mahangu (millet), as it is now ready for yield.
With the good rains received countrywide, many communal farmers say their mahangu fields delivered good produces.
A resident of Uukwangula village in Oshana region, Ester Shalongo Khama, who spoke to New Era said her crop is now ready for harvest and they are about to start with the threshing process to extract pearl millet, a staple in northern Namibia.
“These are traditionally pounded by women with a long hard stick (pounder) in order to produce mahangu flour, from which porridge is made and other traditional drinks like Oshikundu,” she said.
Namibia and the southern region of Africa, in general, had experienced one of the worst droughts in living history.
Many farmers in the north, where communities depend on communal farming, did not manage to harvest even a kilogram of any produce and some did not even bother to plough.
They also lost most if not all of their livestock due to drought.
However, the situation is different, as farmers in Namibia, especially in the north, received good rains, resultant in an abundant harvest but plenty of water resultant in efundja from the southern Angola, which normally brings a lot of fish.
“We thank God for the good rains this year. Although the rains came a little late, many people are likely to get a good harvest from their mahangu fields,” said Ndapewa Amupolo from Omusimboti.
She added, in most fields, the crops (mahangu) are in good shape. “…with long and big heads; there is no hunger this year,” she said.
Harvested mahangu is stored in storage baskets called (eshisha).
Only men weave these big baskets, which are placed on wooden poles to protect them from moisture and insects.
The baskets are lined with clay inside. – vkaapanda@nepc.com.na