RUNDU - Drought-affected farmers in the Kavango East and West regions have been implored to capitalise on the good rainfall received in the regions. 

Many areas throughout the country received the first significant rainfall in recent days since the prolonged dry spell that has claimed a huge number of livestock. 

One of the subsistence farmers from Kavango West, Hilde Sikukutu, yesterday urged fellow women as well as men to take advantage of the good rainfall. 

“I’m urging my fellow women and also men that they should not sit idle at home but rather get up and work in their fields so that this year hunger can be minimised. 
By the look of things, the rain seems to be getting better. Let’s get in our fields,” she said.
New Era met Sikukutu (52) at Kapako village, some 115 km east of Nkurenkuru while busy sowing in her field. 

“Every year, we plough this field, we plant and sow seeds of watermelons, maize, mahangu and beans to name but a few.

This field is one of the two fields that we have in my immediate family and we get good harvests during good rains,” she said. 

According to Sikukutu, her hope now is that the rain turns to be in their favour so that they can have a bumper harvest.  “Last year, we planted maize and we had a good harvest despite the poor rain, both my husband and I don’t work but through our field, we get something to eat and so on,” she said.