From politician to passionate farmer
• Lyambezi Foods a hit in Katima Mulilo
A former Swapo member and Rally for Democracy and Progress member of parliament has found her true passion.
Tanja BauseWINDHOEK
“After high school in 1975, I went to study nursing. At that time, we could only become nurses, teachers or police officers. After a while, seven of us decided that the training we received from the South African government was not good enough. We decided to cross the Zambezi River to improve our training somewhere else and join the liberation struggle. I was 17 years old,” says Agnes Limbo (65) of Lyambezi Foods in Katima Mulilo.
Limbo was born in the Zambezi Region in the settlement of Kazinzila - today known as Malundu. There she completed her education and joined a nursing college until she and her friends – all aged between 17 and 25 - crossed the river one night.
Liberation struggle
“We were in a canoe and in the middle of the river, we capsised and had to swim. It was dangerous because the river is full of hippos and crocodiles.
“Fortunately, Zambian fishermen saw us and helped us to dry land. They gave us food and blankets, because everything we owned ended up in the river. They accompanied us to the police and said we were Namibians who wanted to go into exile. We were taken to Swapo’s head office in Lusaka.”
From there, they went to the Oshatotwa training camp in the middle of Zambia.
“They wanted to divide us into groups there and send the younger ones back to school, but we refused because we wanted to get military training. For a year and six months, we stayed there and received training.
“Because of my background, I helped in nursing to take care of the wounded people. On 11 July 1976, our camp was attacked by the South African army. The whole camp was on fire and 25 people died instantly. We were rescued by our own people and the Zambian forces and taken to Lusaka.”
Right after her arrival in Lusaka, Limbo started a three-year course in development studies and management. Afterwards, she went to the United Kingdom and completed a diploma in health management at the University of Leeds.
She returned to Zambia and was sent to Angola to help the wounded in camps there.
“In 1989, I was repatriated back to Namibia and I worked in healthcare until I got a scholarship to do a master’s degree in human resources and management at the University of Manchester.
“Soon after, Namibia became independent and I returned and worked briefly at the home affairs ministry. They transferred me to Katima Mulilo, where in 2001 I became the chief executive of the village council. I was in that position for five years before I entered politics until my retirement.”
Agriculture
“I worked the fields with my grandparents and parents. The Zambezi Region is known for vegetable and livestock farming, so as a child, I developed a love for plants during our farming activities. This led me to plant gardens wherever I lived.
“My great-grandfather was one of the first farmers to own a tractor in the 60s. He was very famous and when someone was hungry, he shared some of his harvest. In those times, it was like that - if you had, you shared with those who didn’t. The people were not as greedy as they are now.”
In 2018, Limbo decided to invest into her passion for agriculture and started gardening after her late father encouraged her to focus on goat farming and crop production.
“This personal project became a commercial business when I was preparing for my retirement and it started to grow because I could spend more time in my garden.
“The first crops that were planted were, among other things, mangoes, guavas, papaya and tomatoes. However, we have limited our tomato production to accommodate our new interest, namely organic farming. The move to organic crop production was in line with personal healthy lifestyle habits and the fact that society was facing various lifestyle diseases due to bad eating habits.
“This is why we introduced new crops that support a healthy lifestyle, such as sweet potatoes, strawberries, gooseberries, various herbs such as turmeric and more fruit trees.”
According to Limbo, her business is named after Lake Lyambezi in eastern Zambezi.
This lake was a source of livelihood for people in the region and in Zambia and Botswana, because of the rich fish and other food sources found around it.
It was also a source of water for animals and people.
“That’s why I chose the name, as I wanted my brand to be a source of good health for the community.”
Limbo currently has three employees. One supervises the technical work such as drip line irrigation and the other two are general workers. She does most of the general work herself alongside her employees as she has learnt that a good farmer must be involved, she said.
Future plans
“I would like to open a centre where I can teach people about agriculture and plants.
“Young people no longer know how to plant and cultivate. They buy everything in the shops. I want to teach people to produce their own food. Then I want to give them a tree that they can plant at their homes so that we can turn Zambezi into a forest again. A forest as it was in the good old days and then we can start exchanging food among ourselves again.
“If I have an apple tree and you have a papaya, we can exchange and give to people who don’t have. We can help each other with food,” Limbo said.
Highlight
“Lyambezi Foods received many positive reviews and compliments, which boosted our morale. We also won an award for the Woman Farmer of the Year in the innovation category, and we were the runners-up for the best horticultural innovator producer of the year at the 2022 National Agronomy and Horticulture Awards. We have also won several awards for small livestock breeding when we started breeding with Boer goats,” the farmer narrated.
Challenges
“I face two main challenges, namely an unreliable water source and limited funds.
“Before my retirement, I invested a large sum in a borehole and a greenhouse. Due to the fact that I was not on site and had limited knowledge, several errors occurred that led to poor infrastructure. The borehole sometimes does not provide water and the greenhouse does not meet standards, therefore a lot of money is needed to renovate the infrastructure.
“To see that my investments were not well utilised was a real setback as the main purpose of acquiring the Liselo Plot was to expand the farm into a commercial farm.
“However, I learnt from this low point and ensured that I trained myself to engage the right service providers. I need N$150 000 for a new borehole; that’s exactly what I already paid for the first one and the money and the man are gone, but I’m sure as soon as funds are available, the Liselo Plot will become a shining star.”
A typical day
A typical day in Limbo’s life starts at 05:00 when she wakes up and walks around her garden. An hour later, she meets her workers, plans the day and discusses their daily duties and challenges.
“I also have goats and poultry for my grandchildren. So, I walk to the kraal to check for any new kids, eggs or chicks. After I finish the farm inspection, I shower, eat breakfast and tackle my other duties as I serve on various community forums such as the traditional authority and the Sibbinda constituency development committee.
“Around 16:00, my foreman and technical assistant come to report back on any matters that require my attention for decision-making or guidance,” she said.
“I am at my happiest when I see my garden blooming; when I see my plants grow from seeds to edible crops on my plate. I also enjoy being surrounded by my lush garden, as I appreciate the beauty of nature and God’s creation.”
“After high school in 1975, I went to study nursing. At that time, we could only become nurses, teachers or police officers. After a while, seven of us decided that the training we received from the South African government was not good enough. We decided to cross the Zambezi River to improve our training somewhere else and join the liberation struggle. I was 17 years old,” says Agnes Limbo (65) of Lyambezi Foods in Katima Mulilo.
Limbo was born in the Zambezi Region in the settlement of Kazinzila - today known as Malundu. There she completed her education and joined a nursing college until she and her friends – all aged between 17 and 25 - crossed the river one night.
Liberation struggle
“We were in a canoe and in the middle of the river, we capsised and had to swim. It was dangerous because the river is full of hippos and crocodiles.
“Fortunately, Zambian fishermen saw us and helped us to dry land. They gave us food and blankets, because everything we owned ended up in the river. They accompanied us to the police and said we were Namibians who wanted to go into exile. We were taken to Swapo’s head office in Lusaka.”
From there, they went to the Oshatotwa training camp in the middle of Zambia.
“They wanted to divide us into groups there and send the younger ones back to school, but we refused because we wanted to get military training. For a year and six months, we stayed there and received training.
“Because of my background, I helped in nursing to take care of the wounded people. On 11 July 1976, our camp was attacked by the South African army. The whole camp was on fire and 25 people died instantly. We were rescued by our own people and the Zambian forces and taken to Lusaka.”
Right after her arrival in Lusaka, Limbo started a three-year course in development studies and management. Afterwards, she went to the United Kingdom and completed a diploma in health management at the University of Leeds.
She returned to Zambia and was sent to Angola to help the wounded in camps there.
“In 1989, I was repatriated back to Namibia and I worked in healthcare until I got a scholarship to do a master’s degree in human resources and management at the University of Manchester.
“Soon after, Namibia became independent and I returned and worked briefly at the home affairs ministry. They transferred me to Katima Mulilo, where in 2001 I became the chief executive of the village council. I was in that position for five years before I entered politics until my retirement.”
Agriculture
“I worked the fields with my grandparents and parents. The Zambezi Region is known for vegetable and livestock farming, so as a child, I developed a love for plants during our farming activities. This led me to plant gardens wherever I lived.
“My great-grandfather was one of the first farmers to own a tractor in the 60s. He was very famous and when someone was hungry, he shared some of his harvest. In those times, it was like that - if you had, you shared with those who didn’t. The people were not as greedy as they are now.”
In 2018, Limbo decided to invest into her passion for agriculture and started gardening after her late father encouraged her to focus on goat farming and crop production.
“This personal project became a commercial business when I was preparing for my retirement and it started to grow because I could spend more time in my garden.
“The first crops that were planted were, among other things, mangoes, guavas, papaya and tomatoes. However, we have limited our tomato production to accommodate our new interest, namely organic farming. The move to organic crop production was in line with personal healthy lifestyle habits and the fact that society was facing various lifestyle diseases due to bad eating habits.
“This is why we introduced new crops that support a healthy lifestyle, such as sweet potatoes, strawberries, gooseberries, various herbs such as turmeric and more fruit trees.”
According to Limbo, her business is named after Lake Lyambezi in eastern Zambezi.
This lake was a source of livelihood for people in the region and in Zambia and Botswana, because of the rich fish and other food sources found around it.
It was also a source of water for animals and people.
“That’s why I chose the name, as I wanted my brand to be a source of good health for the community.”
Limbo currently has three employees. One supervises the technical work such as drip line irrigation and the other two are general workers. She does most of the general work herself alongside her employees as she has learnt that a good farmer must be involved, she said.
Future plans
“I would like to open a centre where I can teach people about agriculture and plants.
“Young people no longer know how to plant and cultivate. They buy everything in the shops. I want to teach people to produce their own food. Then I want to give them a tree that they can plant at their homes so that we can turn Zambezi into a forest again. A forest as it was in the good old days and then we can start exchanging food among ourselves again.
“If I have an apple tree and you have a papaya, we can exchange and give to people who don’t have. We can help each other with food,” Limbo said.
Highlight
“Lyambezi Foods received many positive reviews and compliments, which boosted our morale. We also won an award for the Woman Farmer of the Year in the innovation category, and we were the runners-up for the best horticultural innovator producer of the year at the 2022 National Agronomy and Horticulture Awards. We have also won several awards for small livestock breeding when we started breeding with Boer goats,” the farmer narrated.
Challenges
“I face two main challenges, namely an unreliable water source and limited funds.
“Before my retirement, I invested a large sum in a borehole and a greenhouse. Due to the fact that I was not on site and had limited knowledge, several errors occurred that led to poor infrastructure. The borehole sometimes does not provide water and the greenhouse does not meet standards, therefore a lot of money is needed to renovate the infrastructure.
“To see that my investments were not well utilised was a real setback as the main purpose of acquiring the Liselo Plot was to expand the farm into a commercial farm.
“However, I learnt from this low point and ensured that I trained myself to engage the right service providers. I need N$150 000 for a new borehole; that’s exactly what I already paid for the first one and the money and the man are gone, but I’m sure as soon as funds are available, the Liselo Plot will become a shining star.”
A typical day
A typical day in Limbo’s life starts at 05:00 when she wakes up and walks around her garden. An hour later, she meets her workers, plans the day and discusses their daily duties and challenges.
“I also have goats and poultry for my grandchildren. So, I walk to the kraal to check for any new kids, eggs or chicks. After I finish the farm inspection, I shower, eat breakfast and tackle my other duties as I serve on various community forums such as the traditional authority and the Sibbinda constituency development committee.
“Around 16:00, my foreman and technical assistant come to report back on any matters that require my attention for decision-making or guidance,” she said.
“I am at my happiest when I see my garden blooming; when I see my plants grow from seeds to edible crops on my plate. I also enjoy being surrounded by my lush garden, as I appreciate the beauty of nature and God’s creation.”
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