ONGWEDIVA – Business people who also double as farmers want the government to reserve the money allocated to mitigate the effects of the drought in the country for humans only.

They argue that it is not known how long the current drought will last, hence they are of the opinion that money must be reserved for the worst days to save human lives.

Mitigating the point, Iipinge Amukushu said the country should prepare itself for the unknown and as such the government can currently not focus only on saving livestock.

“If livestock is dying it should be left to die … we cannot afford to save livestock if we do not know how long the drought will last. Our focus now should be on peoples’ well-being,” said Amukushu.

Government in March approved a comprehensive drought relief intervention worth N$572.2 million to assist drought-affected communities in communal areas who are grappling with the prevailing drought.
The money will cover food assistance, water tanks, livestock management incentives, transport subsidy to and from grazing areas, subsidy for crop farmers, lick supplements and fodder subsidy.

According to the Namibian Press Agency, the criteria for assistance would require that farmers scale down their stock to at least 25 cattle and one bull.

Other speakers at the business meeting called on the government to accelerate the process.
Contrary to the past, many communal farmers have stopped herding their livestock as it confines their livestock to limited grazing.

Farmers, particularly those who have nothing to harvest this year, have already started to graze their cattle in their crop fields.

Some others are harvesting the little they have to avoid it being destroyed by the roaming livestock.
Equally, due to a lack of water in many parts, farmers have resorted to giving their livestock tap water which is a costly exercise.