Eveline de Klerk

SWAKOPMUND - The Erongo Regional Council distributed 12 936 bags of maize meal from November 2018 until the end of March 2019 to farmers and households in Karibib and Daures constituencies.
Erongo regional councillor Hafeni Ndemula on Friday in a consultative meeting said the drought situation in Erongo is very critical especially in the Karibib, Daures and Walvis Bay constituencies whose inhabitants mainly depend on livestock farming.
Livestock have been dying especially in these two settlements leaving farmers and their families at the mercy of council as they are now depending on drought relief.
According to Ndemula, at least 1 764 households benefited from the allocated drought relief – 686 were from Karibib constituency and 1 087 from Daures constituency.
“We distributed 12.5 kilogrammes of maize meal to the communities after an assessment conducted by council and the directorate of agriculture: production extension and engineering services, in consultation with the office of the prime minister,” he said.
The assessment also indicated the situation in Walvis Bay constituency was not as severe as in the other two rural constituencies.
According to the governor of Erongo Region, Cleophas Mutjavikua, Erongo is hit hardest by the drought with several settlements such as Omatjete already being confronted with water shortage.  
Currently, he says, water is being transported via trucks, as boreholes are dry thus putting further pressure on desperate farmers.
He says the situation will soon be experienced by residents of Omaruru and Uis who rely on groundwater for human consumption.
“At this stage, we are battling just to make sure our people have enough to drink, however, cattle are our biggest concern as there is simply no water nor grazing. 
The other region might have one or two areas of grazing to mitigate the drought.  Erongo just don’t have anything,” Mutjavikua explained.