Zebaldt Ngaruka
EPUKIRO – Although it comes across as a profitable and smooth-flowing choice of farming, pig farming is not for the faint-hearted as it comes with a lot of intricacies and high input costs, Epukiro’s renowned pig farmer Michael Aihuki has asserted.
Stationed at Otjimati village in the Epukiro constituency in the Omaheke region, he shared with AgriToday that he started with pig production in 2011, but immediately almost gave up after all his pigs died.
But through the acquisition of new knowledge, skills and delicate insights into the trade of pig farming, he was soon back on his feet again – and in 2022, he managed to revive his operations.
Today, he is the proud owner of over 43 pigs, and is now the leading supplier to various abattoirs and emerging young pig farmers in the region.
“I failed at the beginning because of a lack of knowledge in pig farming. But I went to research – and today, I am now aware of the challenges and expectations that come with this trade. This is a great project. Most customers are now creating jobs for themselves, and that is a way of self-sufficiency. This motivates me to do even more,” he said.
The demand for pork is very high both at Epukiro and Windhoek.
This has encouraged him to put more emphasis and further bolster his operations to meet the growing demand.
He added that most people are also buying pigs from him for production purposes, not only for slaughtering when they have events.
Aihuki views his project as a way of helping others in the community to make a living for themselves as well.
Touching on the various inputs that come with pig farming, the farmer shared that feeds and water are the most important.
They are mandatory requirements for any farmer to have a flourishing pig farming enterprise.
“These are the key things that one must consider because pigs need a huge amount of water, especially after eating. They need clean food as well, or else they will get sick. It is very important to vaccinate them as required, and we must avoid giving pigs dirty feeds, as they might die. Pigs are like humans, and we need to give them well-balanced food, rather than rubbish,” added the farmer.
Despite the challenges, Aihuki has big plans for the future, and wants to further expand his business infrastructure, and meet the required pig farming standards.
“We need about 60 bags of cement, 30 zincs, small diamond mesh fences and kraals for our pigs. This requires financial backup, as we are also facing drought challenges. In the future, we may need a borehole or big water tanks in order to keep water a bit longer for the pigs. Currently, I’m using my bakkie to transport water for the pigs, and that is a very demanding exercise.”
Furthermore, he appealed to farmers’ unions and the agriculture ministry to provide training to upcoming pig farmers in the regions, especially in Omaheke.
“We need to be empowered and equipped with knowledge on farming. It is time to produce, rather than rely on relief from government,” he stated.
-zngaruka@yahoo.com