‘Backyard gardens drive food security’
The Namibian ambassador to Tanzania Lebbius Tobias has urged communities to invest in backyard gardens to foster food security.
Tobias was speaking during an engagement with Oshana regional governor Elia Irimari last Wednesday.
“If the country is not talking about food security, then you have no strong pillar to lean on. Let us have backyard gardens. These are very important,” Tobias said, adding that he has a younger brother who managed to successfully set up a backyard garden in one of Namibia’s coastal towns, Walvis Bay.
He said it is not the size of the land that counts, but how it is managed.
Work together
Tobias also challenged officials in northern municipalities to encourage residents to start green schemes at home. He also suggested that municipalities allocate land for these endeavours.
“If you tell them to have gardens, we will get there. In Tanzania, every second person you see is producing food. And there is no hunger," he said.
"Everywhere you go, they tell you about food production, and they tell you that they don’t know the term hunger. In their country, if someone goes to bed on an empty stomach, it is by choice,” Tobias said.
Strong ties
Irimari described a recent visit to Tanzania as a successful effort in forging business ventures between the business communities of the Oshana Region and the Kilimanjaro Region.
He said the core objectives of their visit, which took place in June, were to strengthen relations and establish cooperation, particularly in the fields of agriculture, business, manufacturing, education, health, local economic development, and tourism.
“Collaborative efforts will be made to enhance agricultural productivity and manufacturing capabilities through shared knowledge and technology, particularly in terms of livestock feed-making in Namibia,” Irimari said.
Tobias was speaking during an engagement with Oshana regional governor Elia Irimari last Wednesday.
“If the country is not talking about food security, then you have no strong pillar to lean on. Let us have backyard gardens. These are very important,” Tobias said, adding that he has a younger brother who managed to successfully set up a backyard garden in one of Namibia’s coastal towns, Walvis Bay.
He said it is not the size of the land that counts, but how it is managed.
Work together
Tobias also challenged officials in northern municipalities to encourage residents to start green schemes at home. He also suggested that municipalities allocate land for these endeavours.
“If you tell them to have gardens, we will get there. In Tanzania, every second person you see is producing food. And there is no hunger," he said.
"Everywhere you go, they tell you about food production, and they tell you that they don’t know the term hunger. In their country, if someone goes to bed on an empty stomach, it is by choice,” Tobias said.
Strong ties
Irimari described a recent visit to Tanzania as a successful effort in forging business ventures between the business communities of the Oshana Region and the Kilimanjaro Region.
He said the core objectives of their visit, which took place in June, were to strengthen relations and establish cooperation, particularly in the fields of agriculture, business, manufacturing, education, health, local economic development, and tourism.
“Collaborative efforts will be made to enhance agricultural productivity and manufacturing capabilities through shared knowledge and technology, particularly in terms of livestock feed-making in Namibia,” Irimari said.
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Namibian Sun
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