WINDHOEK- Despite the persistent drought that has plagued Namibia for  the last three consecutive years, Kamanjab commercial farmer in the Kunene region, Charles /Urib is encouraging fellow farmers, especially upcoming farmers, to remain determined and to be more hands-on in their farming activities.

/Urib a beneficiary of the Agribank’s Affirmative Action Loan Scheme (AALS) made this remark during an interview with the agricultural bank at the recently concluded Windhoek Agricultural and Industrial Show.
 Kunene rfarmers are the hardest hit by the drought that has killed hundreds of livestock in that party of the country over the last ten years.

“Farmers should persist and try to involve more since farming is like a business. You don’t just buy cattle and drop them off at the farmland, you need to mange them, you need to attend farming information sessions and trainings, you also need to read more, as well as visiting other farmers to share ideas and learn from one other” /Urib said.

/Urib who grew up on a farm, started his farming career in 1999 as a small stock communal farmer with the aim of growing his livestock numbers in order to satisfy Agribank’s loan requirement at the time. 
He narrated that in the year 2006, he applied for a loan at Agribank which was unsuccessful, but due to his persistence and dedication, he re-applied for a farm loan at the bank in 2010 which was successful, resulting in the commencement of his journey as a livestock commercial farmer.

“One of the challenges I faced in my journey as a farmer was the lack of knowledge, I only had passion for farming since I grew up on a farm but through failing, making mistakes and attending farmers training, I started gaining experience and knowledge in farming,” he noted. 

Asked why he exhibit his animals, /Urib explained that agricultural shows provide a marketing platform for him and farmers in general while benchmarking with fellow farmers. “Some of these farmers are the leaders in the industry, so I bring my animals to measure myself how far I am and to interact with others and for potential customers,” he concluded.