OSHAKATI – Oshana governor Elia Irimari has urged farmers to make use of various government subsidies offered by the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform to maximise their harvest outcomes, including the use of tractors.
In an interview with Nampa on Thursday, he stated that the region has 30 operational tractors, which can be used by farmers in its 11 constituencies.
Irimari said three of the constituencies have been given three tractors each for use, with the rest of the tractors having been shared amongst the remaining eight constituencies.
Meanwhile, a total of 18 people were trained on how to operate the tractors. “I, therefore, invite our community members to approach the agriculture ministry and find out about the available assistance [subsidies],” he added. The Ministry of Agriculture acquired a total of 350 tractors with different capacities that were distributed across the country to benefit communal farmers during the ploughing season.
Currently, ploughing by government tractors costs N$250 per hectare, the required fee to be paid by farmers who make use of the tractors, while private tractors will be subsidised by 60%. Meanwhile, animal-drawn ploughing is N$350 per hectare, and is also subsidised by the government.
Additionally, Irimari encouraged farmers to venture into the establishment of backyard gardens, especially during the rainy season, as this offers good potential for the small-scale production of vegetables for household consumption and resale.
- Nampa