Zebaldt Ngaruka
EPUKIRO – Constituency councillors from the hunger-hit Omaheke region have come up with mechanisms to solve the problem.
The region is rated amongst the highest in terms of hunger fatalities in the country.
Kalahari constituency councillor Ignatius Kariseb told New Era recently that his office commenced with transformative initiatives earmarking the Drimiopsis and Blouberg settlements to introduce land spanning 1-2 hectares each for gardening purposes.
He said the aim of the gardening project is to address food insecurity in the Kalahari constituency.
“I am sure that the garden will emerge not only as a source of sustenance, but as a symbol of hope and empowerment in the heart of this arid landscape,” Kariseb noted.
He added that the vision extends beyond large-scale gardens, as the initiative encourages households to cultivate their own backyard gardens, fostering self-sufficiency at the grassroots level.
On his part, Okorukambe constituency councillor Rocco Nguvauva is aiming for the establishment of a backyard garden at every homestead.
“We have training which advocated to help those who need assistance on how to start their garden, and this result is provable. Also, we have big gardens which we renovated in Epukiro RC, Witvlei and Summerdown, which have the capacity to cater to the whole region and the country at large,” he enthused.
The councillor is currently in consultations with Namwater to start a horticulture or green scheme plantation at Oshivero Dam in the Omitara area.
“The good thing about my constituency is that everyone has experience in agriculture as they have been or are still working on commercial farms, and gardening will not be strange to them,” Nguvauva observed.
His office has also set up soup kitchens to help vulnerable families in the Omitara, Witvlei, Du Plessis, Epukiro RC and Skoonheid settlements.
Nguvauva also encouraged his Okorukambe community to stand up and fight poverty, while the government is trying to meet them halfway.
Pineal Packey Pakarae, who is the Epukiro constituency councillor, told this publication that an area covering units of 500 square metres in Epukiro Post 3 has been surveyed, and will be allocated to the youth and women for food production.
He said the increasing water capacity in various villages in Epukiro for irrigation systems and the installation of pipelines will help villagers produce enough food.
“These are some of the key factors that we want to kick-start with while early to curb hunger in our constituency. We have various soup kitchens at Post 3 Clinic, at the councillor’s office, Harnas Clinic and Otjimanangombe,” he elucidated.
Pakarae added that this is a difficult year, and encouraged his people to set up backyard gardens to produce their own food.
“I am aware of villages with water scarcity, but plans are there to make sure that all have access to water. Otjombundiro village recently got water, and the progress at their women’s garden is promising,” he continued.
Otjinene constituency councillor Erwin Katjizeu said community gardens, food distribution programmes, agricultural training and collaborating with local organisations are prime in addressing food security in the constituency.
“As a constituency office, we are establishing effective social safety nets to support those in extreme poverty, ensuring that they have access to basic nutrition,” he noted.
The councillor’s office is collaborating with the local health clinic in the settlement, and implemented nutrition education and supplementation programmes, which will cater to vulnerable populations like children and pregnant women.
Katjizeu added that addressing community starvation requires a multi-faceted approach, and they must join the efforts of government and produce their own food via small gardens.