FARM OTUVIZE – Commercial and communal farmers in the Omaheke region are feeling the effects of the ongoing drought at all levels of production after the region recorded nearly 95% of failed crop fields.  

Last year, the region had a total area of crop production of over 500 hectares, but the figure was cut almost in half by the prolonged drought, which has brought the number of the total area of crop production to just less than 300 hectares across the region.

The ministry of agriculture, through the Dryland Crop Production Programme and the Comprehensive Conservation Agriculture Programme, continues to support farmers in Omaheke with the hope of uplifting them back to desirable production levels. 

The region’s governor Pijoo Nganate is equally worried, and admits that unless the weather patterns change to more favourable conditions in the coming months, it will be difficult for both commercial and communal farmers in the region to survive. 

“Nearly 95% of crop failures were recorded here in the Omaheke region, and farmers turned their failed crops into livestock feed to cater for the suffering animals. The livestock market has dropped considerably, despite the good market seen in January and February of this year. Worse is that most of the effective rains came in one week of April, and this has affected the grazing and livestock conditions negatively. Basically, the last four months of the year shall highly depend on the onset of the new rainy season,” he said. 

Nganate shared that after intense and fruitful deliberations with line minister Calle Schlettwein, it was agreed that in addition to the various drought intervention measures already in place countrywide, the ministry will approve an additional budget to assist farmers. 

“We were fortunate to have hosted our minister of agriculture in Omaheke on an official visit. We consulted on key issues of land, water and agricultural production. The mission was well-received, as many were able to air their views pertaining to the latter. One key area that also received attention was the issue of generational farmworkers, landless farmers in urban areas and corridors, the aspect of overcrowded farms as well as overcrowded communal areas such as Aminuis and Goreses,” he said.

The governor added: “Amidst this difficult period, we are positive in that drought subsidies have kicked in as of April 2024, which includes livestock marketing, transport to grazing, lease of grazing, licks and fodder, which are all claimed at increased rates through the ministry of agriculture. In addition, the government has added licks and fodder delivery at the agricultural development centres in the region. Many farmers have benefitted from these subsidised consignments. I will have to implore the minister to ensure that this subsidy continues throughout the remainder of the year, or until the rainy season starts.” 

Interventions

Through the government’s drought relief interventions, the region received 14 tractors with matching implements through the Namibia Agricultural Mechanisation project. 

To create employment, a total of 33 implement operators were trained, and only nine were utilised in the past cropping season. 

“All projects together received over N$4 million in total. These include the national horticulture support programme, poultry value chain, dairy value chain development, comprehensive conservation agriculture, and dryland crop production. Over 400 farmers have benefitted from these government projects in the past financial year, of which 256 were female,” said the governor.

He added: “Despite the drought, Omaheke had a Two-Day Crop Farmers Exposition (Crop Farmers Days) at Du Plessis Plaas in Okorukambe constituency. This is an annual event that rotates from one constituency to another to showcase, share ideas and inform stakeholders about the progress made in the crop production value chain.”

-ohembapu@nepc.com.na