2015-02-24Staff Report 2 "WINDHOEK - The implementation of the National Rangeland Policy and Strategy creates an excellent opportunity for the coordination of de-bushing initiatives in Namibia. A Coordination Unit will be responsible for the implementation of the National Rangeland Strategy as from April 1, 2015 for a period of 4 years with the assistance of funds from the European Union and the Namibian Government. Interviews were already conducted with possible candidates for a National Coordinator and an appointment for this position will be made soon.In preparation to include de-bushing in this process, a meeting was held on February 18, 2015 in Windhoek under the chairmanship of the NAU at which numerous persons and organisations who are involved with de-bushing took part. These included commercial banks, the Meat Board, GIZ, businesses, etc. The meeting agreed that the coordination of de-bushing initiatives will form an integral part in the activities of the unit for the coordination of the implementation of the National Rangeland Strategy. It was also decided to make an attempt to strengthen the Fund at the Meat Board in order to enable the import of a larger amount of arboricides. Furthermore a deliberate awareness campaign will be launched in order to make land owners aware of the long term advantages in terms of increased carrying capacity and higher production of de-bushing. Extension of deadline – Agricultural CensusThe Namibia Statistics Agency sent Questionnaires regarding the agricultural census to all commercial farmers within the borders of Namibia and urged the farmers to complete and return the completed questionnaires by the 13th of February 2015.The NSA would like to inform that we have extended the deadline for returning the completed questionnaires up to the end of February 2015. The NSA hereby kindly reminds all commercial farmers who did not complete and returned the questionnaires up to date, to use the time to accurately complete these questionnaires and send them back by Friday 27 February 2015. As per the Statistics Act No. 9 of 2011, the NSA has vested powers and the mandate to collect data in Namibia. Refusal to cooperate with such lawful request is in contravention of the Act and is punishable by Law. Commercial farmers are kindly urged to adhere to this request. The NSA would like assure our farmers that all information collected will be treated with utmost confidentiality and dissemination thereof will only be done in an aggregated manner. Farmers should not hesitate to contact our offices in cases of queries and clarifications. Our staff stands ready to assist where needed. Please note our contact details: Physical address: FGI House, 44 Post Street Mall (opposite Standard Bank HQ), WINDHOEK, Contact persons: Mr Joseph Minnaar or Ms Zuvee KahituContact telephone number: 061-431-3200.FANRPAN workshopOn February 17 a National Policy Workshop took place in Windhoek to re-establish the Namibia Node Hosting Institution of the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN). The Workshop also deliberated on Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA). Wallie Roux from the NAU attended the workshop.The keynote address of the workshop was delivered by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry (MAWF), Mr Joseph Iita. The National Policy Workshop had two main goals, namely to endorse and re-establish the Namibia FANRPAN Node Hosting Institution and to provide inputs on a draft national CSA study that was conducted by two local consultants.FANRPAN is a regional policy advocacy and research network operating in 17 member countries, which now includes Namibia. It operates through a multi-stakeholder platform (the node) to coordinate its activities. The University of Namibia (UNAM) was selected as the Namibia FANRPAN Node Hosting Institution and the workshop participants endorsed the selection. A steering committee (to be established) will coordinate the Node’s activities. The results of a draft national CSA study were also presented. Participants were divided into groups where these results were discussed and each group made some policy recommendations to the consultants.De-Bushing Project surveyAgra ProVision is conducting a survey on behalf of the GIZ De-Bushing Project, to gain insight into what information land users would value from a De-bushing Advisory Service (DAS) to assist them to take decisions and actions regarding bush encroachment, bush clearing and bush biomass utilization. As the DAS will be a service provided to land users, it is imperative that it is structured around the identified needs of these clients. All farmers, as potential clients, are thus encouraged to participate in this survey in order to ensure that their information needs are considered and included in the service. Questionnaires can be obtained from Twaku Kayofa: email: twakuk@agra.com.na; tel: 061 - 290 9364 or sms “Bush” and your email address to 40404 (N$ 2 per sms across all networks. Ts & Cs apply).The questionnaire can be downloaded here DAS QuestionnaireFA and other newsVeldduin FA is hosting a Hunting and Game day on February 21 at 09:00 at the FA hall. Guest speaker is Jokl le Roux, presenter of the KykNet program “Wild en Wragtig”. A braai competition and women program are also offered and the day is concluded with dinner and a dance. For further details contact Schalk Kuhn, Tel 081 2332123, Joseph Lewies, Tel 081 3202362 or Monia Kuhn, Tel 081 2270950. The Ground Nut Association offers talks by 2 South African farmers who will talk about crop rotation on irrigation land and a ley as well as a rotation system to keep moisture in the year 2015. These talks will take place as follows: Monday, 23 February at 14:00 at Shitemo Irrigation Farm, Tuesday, 24 February at 09:30 at Veldduin Josef Lewis, Tuesday, 24 February at 14:00 at Tsumeb and Abenab Ground Nut irrigation, Tuesday, 24 February at 17:00 at Pondoki Grootfontein, Wednesday, 25 February at 09:00 at Abenab, Farm Cadax, Wednesday 25 February at 19:00 at Hochfeld guest house and Thursday 26 February at 09:00 in the Summerdown FA hall. Attendance is free of charge and enquiries can be addressed to Dawie Kok, Tel 081 2616173. Osire-Waterberg FA is holding a meeting on February 24 at 14:00 at the FA hall. Guest speaker is Philene Olivier of Avis Fleet Services. For further details contact Anka Visher, Tel 067 306208, hpvisher@iway.na. Karibib FA is holding a meeting on February 28 at 17:00. The venue of the meeting will be given soon. For further details contact Doris Gladis, Tel 061237400, Doris.Gladis@elvey.co.za. Blumfelde FA is hosting a women day on March 11. Petro Heyman will give a demonstration of “metal foil”. This is the same as Pewter, but easier. The costs are N$100 per person and interested persons must register at Magret Binneman, Tel 081 4440334, binneman@iway.na. Epukiro FA is holding a general meeting on March 17 at 15:00 at Farm Wagnou. Guest speakers will talk about Braseeds and solar power systems. For further details contact Mr Jacobs, Tel 062 568756, cj.jacobs@live.com. Kalkfeld FA is holding a member meeting on March 18 at 08:30 at Farm Hazeldene of Mr E Kratzer. The day will be concluded with a farm sightseeing and braai. Please register before March 9 with Mr Kratzer, Tel 081 4818504 of Raphael, Tel 067 290006.Maltahöhe FA is holding a meeting on March 18 at 08:30 at Farm Hoogtevrede of Mr & Mrs Oubaas Klein. Guest speakers are Mr Nic Nel of Methealth Namibia as well as Mr Alex McDonald of Namibia Agricultural Distributors. For further details contact Mr Christian Otto, Tel 063 293512, ottojagd@iway.na. Otjiwarongo FA is holding its Annual General Meeting on March 24 at Otjiwarongo. The venue and time will be given at a later stage. For further details contact Callie Steenkamp, Tel 081 3326292, tilla@iway.na. Hochfeld FA is hosting the annual Meatco Inter Farmers Association braai competition on March 27 & 28 at the Namboer Auction pens, Hochfeld. The theme is “1935” as the Hochfeld FA was founded in 1935. Registration is N$750 per team. For further details contact Caleen Swanepoel, 062 549101, 081 242778, hiway@iway.na. For more details and to print the registration form, Click hereKalkfeld FA is hosting an Agri Mega Day (mechanization in agriculture) on June 10 at the Farm of Fam G Kahl, Ekundi Farming. Further details will be given soon or can be obtained from Sylvia Friedensdorf, Tel 067 290009, 081 3022896, kfriedensdorf@iway.na." 2015-02-24Staff Report 2
