ONGWEDIVA - Desperate farmers, particularly those who live on the outskirts of towns in the northern parts of the country, have resorted to collecting cardboard boxes and papers from dumpsites as fodder for their drought-hit animals.

If provisional feeding is not made available, livestock is left to feed on deadly substances such a plastic bags.
Farmers from surrounding villages in Oshakati foot to the Ongwediva dumpsite, sometimes three times a week depending on the number of livestock, in order to collect feed.

“We collect the cardboard boxes to supplement the animal feed we got from the government through the drought relief programme so that it can last us a while,” said Annisia Amukoto.
Amukoto said the cardboard boxes are usually reserved for cattle, while papers, which are lighter, are reserved for smaller livestock such as goats.

Before the government feed was given out, struggling farmers who cannot afford to buy animal feed depended entirely on cardboard boxes.

“This has been our only means to save our cattle because there is no grazing at all.  If we don’t find feed for our livestock they just end up dying,” said Amukoto who has so far lost seven cattle since January this year.
Petrus Alweendo, who lives just a few metres out of town, said his livestock also depend on the Ongwediva dumpsite just a few metres away from his house.

“As you can see, the area is dry, there is no grazing, hence we have resorted to the dumpsite,” said Alweendo.

In addition to the unavailable grazing, farmers said their livestock also do not have access to water. Livestock are either given water from their home taps which in the end increases their water bills or the farmers escort their livestock to the water canal in Oshakati.

A mere 1500 bales of fodder have been allocated to Oshana Region through the drought relief programme.