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Market development boost for Amarika and neighbouring communities
The Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, Hon. Carl Schlettwein, officially handed over the infrastructure for livestock development to 122 members of the Amarika Farmers’ Cooperative Ltd at Okatumba in the Ongandjera district in the Omusati Region.
The project, which cost N$23.8 million, is a joint venture between development partners, the European Union (EU), the Federal Republic of Germany through the German Development Bank, and Namibia. It comprises 40,000 hectares of land, earmarked for the development of a 53-kilometre water pipeline, six water reticulation facilities and 56 kilometres of rangeland fencing to improve communal farmers’ livestock management practices and market orientation for the Amarika Farmers’ Cooperative.
“It is my absolute conviction that the people of Amarika and the neighbouring communities will benefit from these developments. I therefore take this opportunity to implore the members of the Amarika Farmers’ Cooperative to work hard and with dedication to reap the fruits of these infrastructure investments and contribute to the development of Namibia’s agricultural sector,” said Schlettwein.
The minister urged members to ensure continuous and proper maintenance of the infrastructure and for them to implement proper rangeland management plans, including organising themselves and market their livestock collectively as one entity. Schlettwein further encouraged the sharing of livestock management information with surrounding community members who are not part of the Cooperative to emulate good livestock development practices for their own smaller farming units. “This development has made a significant impact on our members’ livelihood and as a result, there is a reduction in livestock losses due to salty water, and more specifically among residents of Amarika village. The project has brought unity among the farmers, resulting in our members coming up with marketing ideas by establishing two butcheries in Okahao and Outapi,” said Amarika Farmers’ Cooperative vice chairperson, Erickson Kamati.
FOCUS AREAS
The Cooperative has recorded a total of N$3.6 million from the sales of about 300 cattle from members and nonmembers which were sold to the butcheries. “This is a clear indication that our cooperative’s dream of creating wealth for its members, addressing unemployment and creating market opportunities is hitting the ground,” Kamati added.
The primary focus areas are on:
• Operating a meat marketing business by sourcing slaughter-ready cattle from members
• Developing a rangeland management plan for Amarika ranch
• Developing fodder production
• Operating a butchery in Okahao
• Operating a hygienic slaughter facility
• Custom meat cutting and packing
• Farming with poultry (both layers and broilers)
• Processing of hides/skins to make leather products such as shoes, handbags, belts etc.
• Running a farm supplies shop for members and other farmers
PCLD SUCCESSES
Through the Programme for Communal Land Development (PCLD), the ministry was able to conduct infrastructure developments such as 74 installed boreholes, 169 km of water pipelines, 877 km of fencing and 20 cattle-handling facilities. So far, it has served about 490,000 hectares of communal land in the designated areas of the Omusati, Ohangwena, Kavango East, Kavango West, Zambezi, Omaheke and Otjozondjupa regions at a total cost of N$181.1 million.
THE WAY FORWARD
Deputy head of mission of the EU delegation to Namibia, Gosia Lachut, said plans are underway for the upgrading of a slaughterhouse for an abattoir in Opuwo, and an artificial insemination centre at Okapya in the Kunene and Oshikoto regions respectively to further support the livestock farming communities in the Northern Communal Areas (NCA). This was made possible through the additional funding of N$400 million and collaboration between Namibia and the EU. The ministry will also establish farming and marketing infrastructures such as the planned 1,000 standing cattle feedlots at Etunda, and the upgrading of the Omutambo Maowe quarantine facility in the Omusati Region, among others. “These are all strategic infrastructures planned by your government to improve your farming conditions and make farming in the NCA a viable business. I think it is a very good time to be a farmer in the NCA, and I challenge you to take advantage and embrace the opportunities that come with this,” said Lachut. The ministry plans to further develop similar infrastructure on communal land in the Kunene Region, where local level participatory planning is currently ongoing, as well as the Tsumkwe West area in the Otjozondjupa Region.
