ONGWEDIVA – In collaboration with the agriculture ministry, the Ondangwa Urban constituency has donated small stock to several vulnerable households with a view to uplift them from poverty.
This was done under the Small Stock Distribution and Development in Communal Areas (SSDDCAs) under the ministry which also saw 21 breeding stock given to one of the households in the constituency.
Recently, the councillor’s office donated building materials for small stock kraals and animal husbandry tools to one of the beneficiaries, Martin Ndongo.
Ndongo in 2021 received 21 goats from project SSDDCAs and the goats have increased to 30.
“I am happy and I cannot wait to revolve the 21 goats I got so someone else can benefit,’’ said Ndongo.
According to the chief agriculture technician of DAPEES in Oshana sub-division, Klaudia Matias, the process of SSDDCAs project started in 2015 and a total of 420 small breeding stock were procured.
“In 2016 a total of 20 beneficiaries from all 10 constituencies in Ondangwa at that time each benefited 20 breeding stock and materials for kraal construction,” said Matias.
She emphasised that the aim of the project is to support vulnerable households, build resilience to climate shocks to gain sustainable means of income generation, employment creation and food supply.
“Each beneficiary signed an agreement with the ministry, that he or she would revolve 21 breeding stock (20 does and one buck). The main rational is for self-sustainability of the project as the revolved animals will be passed to the next beneficiaries,” she explained.
Two beneficiaries have benefited through the revolving of the SSDDCAs project.
“There are still some beneficiaries who want to revolve, but we have to think about the current gazing situation. The ministry through DAPEES continues to render services, monitoring and backstopping the beneficiaries,” said Matias.
Ondangwa Urban councillor Leonard Negonga said the government is committed to fighting hunger, poverty and unemployment in the country including rural areas.
“I urge all SSDDCA beneficiaries to manage their livestock seriously in order to revolve, so that other vulnerable households in the region will also benefit from the project,” said Negonga.
He highlighted that livestock farming is a business which is faced with many challenges including drought, diseases and parasites and inadequate farming technical know-how.