KALIMBEZA – President Hifikepunye Pohamba is pleased with progress made at the Kalimbeza rice project on the banks of the Zambezi River about 30 kilometres east of Katima Mulilo in the Kabbe Constituency. President Pohamba, who visited the Zambezi Region for the first time this year, was particularly fascinated by the infrastructural development that has taken place at the project.
“There was nothing the last time I was here but now I can see a huge difference. I am extremely happy to see that the houses have been built. The building where we are sitting now was not there. The Kalimbeza field has also been expanded. When I was here it was only 25 hectares but now we are talking about 48 hectares. More than 20 more hectares were added,” said Pohamba.
Expansion works at the project that started in 2012 have already culminated in 14 completed staff houses, an office complex replete with a boardroom, a production area and a warehouse. Rice production at the project has also doubled with almost 48 hectares cultivated as compared to 25 hectares initially. Workers already started occupying the houses from October last year making their work much easier as compared to long distances they had to travel from Katima Mulilo to the rice project.
President Pohamba, who heaped praise on the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry equally thanked the workers and the traditional authority for their foresightedness for availing land and manpower. “I have come to say thank you for what you have done in terms of production and not for the people of Zambezi alone but the entire country. I also want to thank the traditional authorities for availing land. What you are doing is for the nation. Be proud that you are food producers who are feeding the nation”, said Pohamba. Hundreds of Kalimbeza villagers and surrounding areas are employed as seasonal workers at the project.
Pohamba further stated that government was committed to expanding the rice project with support of the traditional authorities that have responded well to such efforts. “The government is doing everything it can to expand rice production in this region. The traditional authorities have given us enough land for cultivation but have promised to offer us even more should we cultivate more rice,” said Pohamba to loud ululation.
Two rice varieties which include Irga and Angola are being harvested currently at the project and are expected to be ready for the market between March and April. These varieties survived last year’s flooding in the Zambezi Region. The other variety known as Supa is being planted and will be ready for harvest from May this year. The Kalimbeza rice project was given more than N$14 million for the construction of staff houses, while 28 million went to the construction of a warehouse, production area and an office complex in the 2012/13 financial year.
The project covers an area exceeding 200 hectares with about 48 hectares already under production. It was declared a national project by Pohamba in 2009.
In honouring one of the brains behind the project posthumously, agriculture minister John Mutorwa revealed during the visit that one of the building blocks will be named after the late Professor Luke Kanyomeka, a Zambian national who worked for the University of Namibia.
10Kanyomeka was instrumental in the establishment of the project and he subsequently became affectionately known as Dr Rice. He died in 2011.
By George Sanzila