WINDHOEK – Workers at the Kalimbeza rice project will soon start harvesting the tall rice variety called Supa that survived this year’s heavy flooding in the Zambezi Region, which left many schools closed and villagers cut off from essential services.
Speaking to New Era yesterday, Venaune Hepute the agricultural research technician in the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry confirmed that the Supa tall variety survived the floodwaters that submerged the project.
“Supa is still in the field. Its pushing through floodwater and it is approaching its maturity stage meaning it will be ready for harvest between May and June,” he said.
Further, Hepute noted that the other two short varieties, namely Irga and Angola, have already been harvested and all that is awaited is for the milling machine to be installed.
“We are waiting for the new milling machine to be installed. We believe it will be finished in May then we can start milling the two short varieties,” he said.
Overall production for the three rice varieties was 40 hectares(ha) – 20 for Irga, 10 for Angola and 10 for Supa.
Hepute anticipated that the project would harvest between 40 and 60 tonnes as total yield.
Once milling is complete, only then will Irga, Angola and Supa rice be ready for the market.
Regarding accommodation, Hepute said workers have since last year October moved into the 14 houses built for them. Previously workers at the project, situated 40 km east of Katima Mulilo, shared single-quarter rooms, while others travelled long distances to and from Katima Mulilo for their work.
During the 2011/2012 financial year money was allocated to the project for infrastructural expansion. A total of N$14 million was budgeted for the construction of the 14 houses, while N$28 million was budgeted for the construction of the warehouse and office complex.
The project covers a total area of 222 hectares, of which 30 hectares is under production. It was declared a national project by President Hifikepunye Pohamba in 2009, indicating its potential to boost food security and assist with poverty reduction and was jointly implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry and the University of Namibia (Unam) in 2007.
A research laboratory, which is being built at the rice project, is expected to be named after the late Professor Luke Kanyomeka to honour his memory. The laboratory will be used for research and experimentation on rice production.
The late Kanyomeka, who was instrumental in spearheading the establishment of the project, died in a Windhoek hospital in June 2011 after a short illness.
Minister of Agriculture, Water and Forestry John Mutorwa proposed in 2011 during Pohamba’s visit to the project that the new laboratory be named after Kanyomeka, who was often referred to as ‘Dr Rice’.
By Albertina Nakale