Josephina Mwashindange
OSHONGWE - In an effort to mitigate the harm of poverty in the region, the Oshikoto Regional Council, through its “Support Resources to Underprivileged Farmers” program, will assist struggling subsistence farmers in all its 11 constituencies.
This program is aimed at assisting farmers in the region that are struggling to produce food. Council will give N$28 846 to each of the 11 constituencies.
Through the programme, 10 farmers were assisted during 2017/18 financial year
“We assisted underprivileged farmers to improve their agricultural production, in an effort to alleviate hunger and poverty in rural areas, as well as buy livestock to empower the farmers. Furthermore, it’s for them to improve on food production by cultivating, so that they can also generate an income to support their families,” said Jeronimo Mingeli a community liaison officer.
Moreover, council assesses the situation of the poor farmer before commitment.
A resident of Oshongwe village in Nehale lyaMpingana Constituency applauded the Oshikoto Regional Council, for its continued support towards disadvantaged farmers.
Fransina Petrus, a single mother of nine children, was living in extreme poverty before council came to her rescue. She ploughs her mahangu field but could not yield anything from it because the field was not fenced off – giving passage to stray animals to destroy her crops. Oshongwe village is 105km west of Omuthiya town.
Council spent N$2900 on purchasing fencing materials for her.
“I was truly suffering and in dire need of assistance as a farmer, because no matter how hard I worked on my mahangu field, animals destroyed the crops and I was left with nothing. However, despite the insufficient rainfall received, I am positive that come next season, I will have my crops protected because there is a fence now,” said Petrus.
She encouraged fellow community members never to lose hope and to always attend community meetings because that is where crucial information pertaining to them is shared.
* Josephina Mwashindange is an Information Officer in the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology in Oshikoto Region.