From humble beginnings, Roger Mberira started farming in the communal area of Otjombinde with a few livestock that he was given by his uncle.
As his passion for farming and the number of his livestock was growing, he decided to move out of the communal area, and started renting a farm in a commercial area.
After renting for a while, the determined Mberira approached Agribank for a farmland purchase through the Affirmative Action Loan Scheme of the bank. Consequently, his application was approved, making his commercial farming dream come true in 2017.
“My journey was, however, not without challenges. When I started farming commercially, I realised that farming costs are so high because I was just coming from a communal set-up where farmers share costs. If they are to buy a borehole, each farmer contributes. But here in commercial farming, you are solely responsible for all your costs,” stated Mberira.
He added that in his first years of farming, he faced cost-related challenges as he was only pumping money into the farming business. However, he said, “I am thankful that I bought the farm through the Affirmative Action Loan Scheme, where I was only required to start paying back after three years.”
This, therefore, helped him to sail through the challenges faced.
In terms of his best experiences as a farmer since 2012, Mberira’s most memorable event is seeing the number of his livestock multiplying after joining the commercial farming fraternity.
He is also convinced that the farming business journey has shaped him in terms of skills and knowledge as he now researches a lot about farming.
Going forward five to 10 years from now, Mberira aims to pay off his farm loan, grow his production and expand his farming ventures.
In his advice to others, he urged Namibians, especially young people, to invest in farming, and take up the opportunities offered by Agribank when possible.
-AgriBank