Staff Reporter

The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) and the Oranjemund Town Council recently handed over a garden to the community of the Swartkops informal settlement in Oranjemund.

Swartkops has about 700 residents and is located about 6km outside Oranjemund in the //Kharas region. TIKA constructed three shade nets, installed a drip irrigation system in each shade net and erected a 10 000 litre water tank on a four-metre-high water tank stand. 

“At TIKA, we value and recognise agriculture as one of our main agendas since we strongly believe that agriculture ensures food security and contributes to job creation, which ultimately contributes to poverty eradication,” said Aydin Apaydin, TIKA country coordinator.

To ensure the sustainability of the project, TIKA facilitated horticulture training for the 20 beneficiaries of the Swartkops community garden on 18 and 19 November 2022, which will help them to utilise their theoretical and practical knowledge. Approximately 20 direct beneficiaries and 200 indirect beneficiaries from the Swartkops community and the entire
town will benefit from this community garden.  

The Oranjemund council invested in the project by making land available, de-bushing and preparing the site, providing the necessary planting seeds, fertilisers/compost, and pressure sprays for the agricultural project. 

On his part, Oranjemund mayor Elias Kasemba highlighted that the objective of the community garden is to improve household and community food security and to promote sustainable livelihoods. 

He further said the project would boost action for inclusive development, local economic growth and transformation for the local community.

Chairperson of the Swartkops community committee Naftal Shimwafeni thanked OTC and TIKA for the investment made towards food security.