For most Namibians, the country’s land reform and resettlement programme has been one of the transformative upshots and has created new opportunities for those who previously struggled to access land.
For farmers Teofe and Edwig Karipi, who are beneficiaries of the government’s land resettlement programme, the journey has been one of transformation, challenges, and hope for the future.
The Karipi family is among many Namibian families who grew up facing the hardships of subsistence farming, with limited access to productive land for crops and livestock farming.
Their lives, however, changed profoundly in 2015 when they were resettled by government on farm Strydpan A, which is a 2 100-hectare farm in the Okorukambe constituency of the Omaheke region.
This was after years of persistent applications for resettlement and in 2015, the Karipi family finally received their resettlement letter from government. For them, it was a dream come true and the start of a new chapter for their farming enterprise.
However, this new chapter came with its own set of challenges, as managing a large-scale agricultural enterprise was a completely new experience for them.
“Despite having an agricultural qualification, I quickly realised that resettlement is not just about receiving land—it is about effectively farming and managing it. While the government provides basic support in the form of grants to resettled farmers, the challenges we faced went beyond what this support could address. Renovating and maintaining infrastructure, dealing with high input and labour costs, and navigating the complexities of commercial farming were just some of the obstacles we encountered in the beginning,” said Edwig, who is also an agronomist.
Mixed approach
To ensure sustainability and minimise risks, they adopted a mixed farming approach which saw them simultaneously farming with beef cattle, goats, sheep, broiler chickens and pigs in order to boost their productivity and diversify their income streams.
Teofe added that adopting the mixed farming approach was one of their best decisions and a huge turnaround strategy, as farm Strydpan is now a self-sustaining enterprise.
“Over time, we expanded to include egg production, horticulture, and biomass production. This diversified approach allowed us to create a sustainable cycle: vegetables feed the pigs, animal manure fertilizes crops, and legume crops like lucerne improve soil fertility and feed livestock. Today, Strydpan is renowned for producing a variety of goods, including wood, eggs, pork, vegetables, and beef,” said Teofe, a respected veteran farmer in the Omaheke region.
Depending on the season and production requirements, Farm Strydpan periodically employs between three to six workers either permanently or on a casual basis.
“We market our products as farm-fresh and supply local communities, generating income to sustain operations and achieve profitability.
Market barriers
Despite the progress made, the lack of market access for their products remains one of the biggest stumbling blocks for the Karipi family.
Limited access to reliable water sources, unpredictable weather patterns, and high cost of inputs are also hindrances to their productivity.
“The greatest challenge, however, remains access to markets. While we were inspired by the “OSTORA” concept proposed by the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) as a strategy to build a sustainable retail economy for Namibian farm products, its potential benefits are yet to materialise. Additionally, the Namibia Agronomic Board appears to prioritise large-scale producers, leaving small-scale farmers like us with limited options, often resorting to street vending. Even this avenue is heavily restricted by municipal regulations, adding to our difficulties,” shared Edwig.
There is still much to be done, the farming husband and wife said, as they look into the future with renewed optimism and hope for the country’s agriculture sector.
“We need more support, especially in terms of infrastructure and access to markets. But we remain hopeful. Through resilience and adaptability, we have turned Farm Strydpan into a symbol of transformation and success. Our journey as resettled farmers continues, fuelled by determination and the hope of an even brighter future.”
Land reform
Land reform is an important political and economic topic in Namibia. It consists of two different strategies: resettlement, and transfer of commercially-viable agricultural land.
Resettlement is aimed at improving the lives of displaced or dispossessed previously- disadvantaged Namibians, and the farms obtained by government for resettlement purposes are usually split into several sections, and dozens of families are being resettled on what had previously been one farm.
Transfer of commercial agricultural land is not directly conducted by government. Would-be farmers with a previously-disadvantaged background obtain farms privately or through affirmative action loans. In both cases, the “Willing buyer, willing seller” principle applies.
ohembapu@nepc.com.na