• Home
  • LOCAL NEWS
  • Erongo outlines drought incentives to assist communities

Erongo outlines drought incentives to assist communities

Precious Nghituanapo
The Erongo Region has been severely impacted by yet another drought, with less than 100 mm of rain recorded over the past rainfall season.

This has led to significant environmental challenges for communities.

Erongo governor Neville Andre recently said "efforts to mitigate the impact of drought include support from governmental institutions, which has been aiding the affected communities."

He added that nevertheless, the region continues to face an urgent need for sustainable solutions to adapt to and manage the persistent drought conditions.

Among government initiatives to provide support to communities are programmes aimed at assisting small-scale farmers, he said.



Assistance provided

The National Horticultural Support Programme offers farmers horticultural inputs, implements, irrigation material and tools at subsidised prices.

“During the 2023 financial year, a total of 75 farmers (30 women and 45 men) benefitted from seeds, pesticides, fertilisers and irrigation material.”

Over 400 farmers (204 men and 197 women) were trained in horticultural production throughout the region at various agricultural centers. N$600 000 has been allocated to the project.

“This programme is decentralised and is administered jointly by the Erongo Regional Council and the ministry of agriculture, water and land reform. An amount of N$700 000 has been allocated under the current financial year,” he said.

Incentive schemes

A total of N$630 000 was allocated for the poultry value chain development scheme, with N$368 000 spent in total. A remaining balance of N$262 000 will be carried over to the current financial year, to which an additional N$200 000 has been allocated, bringing the total available budget to N$462 000.

During the 2023 financial year, a number of pieces of equipment have been procured and are available in the region at various Agricultural Development Centres (ADC) for farmers’ use. This includes 10 tractors with matching implements, 10 trailers, 10 mowers, 10 grass cutters and 10 rakes.

The sixth Cabinet decision 2024/25 on the drought incentive scheme in the Erongo Region entails the following:

Under the livestock marketing incentive implemented in April to date, a total of 55 claims have been received from 39 men and 16 women, at a cost of N$387 150.

Fodder and lick subsidy from April to date: a total of 37 claims have been received, representing N$52 282.36.

Lease of grazing and hired transport from April 2024 to date: only three claims have been received so far.

Delivery of subsidy fodder at ADCs from July to date: a total of 4 400 cowpea beans, 2 500 grass bales, 88 litres of liquid molasses, and 200 litres of molasses will be delivered. The consignments are expected to be delivered to various ADCs in due course.

[email protected]

Comments

Namibian Sun 2024-11-23

No comments have been left on this article

Please login to leave a comment

Katima Mulilo: 20° | 36° Rundu: 20° | 37° Eenhana: 22° | 36° Oshakati: 25° | 35° Ruacana: 22° | 36° Tsumeb: 23° | 36° Otjiwarongo: 22° | 35° Omaruru: 23° | 36° Windhoek: 23° | 34° Gobabis: 23° | 35° Henties Bay: 14° | 19° Swakopmund: 14° | 16° Walvis Bay: 13° | 20° Rehoboth: 23° | 35° Mariental: 24° | 38° Keetmanshoop: 24° | 39° Aranos: 28° | 38° Lüderitz: 13° | 25° Ariamsvlei: 23° | 40° Oranjemund: 13° | 21° Luanda: 25° | 26° Gaborone: 22° | 36° Lubumbashi: 17° | 32° Mbabane: 18° | 31° Maseru: 16° | 32° Antananarivo: 17° | 31° Lilongwe: 22° | 33° Maputo: 23° | 31° Windhoek: 23° | 34° Cape Town: 17° | 27° Durban: 20° | 25° Johannesburg: 19° | 31° Dar es Salaam: 26° | 32° Lusaka: 22° | 33° Harare: 21° | 31° #REF! #REF!