Showing us what's possible
A shining light in the Khomas Region, one resettlement farmer is showing the country what is truly possible.
The poor state of resettlement farms in Namibia has been under fire for years but Gabes Muteka has proven that success is possible.
In 2013 the 64-year-old was resettled on 2 500 hectares of farmland on the farm Welgemoed in the Khomas Region.
Muteka and his wife Ndahafa, both liberation struggle veterans, are weekend farmers but have been running the farm successfully and as a result scooped the 2016 Agra award for emerging resettlement farmer.
“We could only do it with the guidance of our mentors and most importantly our faith in God helped us to push through,” said Gabes.
“We had to start from nothing. It was just stones and grass. We slept in our bakkie for a while and eventually moved on to a tent until we had built our corrugated iron hut. We used our hands to clear the land to make the kraal for the goats, which we used trees for,” he explained.
They eventually managed to build a cattle kraal as well as a lavatory for the farmworkers and themselves.
The more than 80 cattle were financed by Agribank while the couple also had to put in their savings to finance the operations at the farm.
“Farming is not a jolly-ride. If you are a farmer then your bank account is always in the red. You have to work very hard to be a successful farmer. Farming is not about taking cattle to water and to feeding lot,. You must take care of your animals and that takes a lot of time and patience,” said Gabes.
His advice to the Namibian youth and other resettlement farmers is to “meet government halfway”.
“I know sometimes the conditions are not improving but there are simple things that we can do to make a success. If you have got the land, try and build your own home and do not expect government to come and build a house. Even to fix the windmill or the fences should not be demanded from government. Be grateful and appreciate what you have,” he said.
Gabes and his wife Ndahafa married in exile and returned in the late 1980s.
The couple, who had waited 18 years for their land application to succeed, said the timing was perfect.
“I believe there could not have been a better time. Perhaps if we got the farm when our children were still small we would not have made a success of it. We also had very demanding careers,” said Ndahafa, who studied in India.
Ndahafa has managed to start a successful garden from scratch and has so far harvested spinach, onion, tomatoes, asparagus, chillies and even potatoes.
“I am experimenting with many types of plants. Because the land is so arid it is difficult to tell what exactly will work so through experimenting I learn. I have planted an apple tree and it is blooming remarkably,” she said as she reaches for a baby apple hanging from the two-metre-tall tree.
She has also experimented with a Moringa tree but it is withering away.
“We are striving to be self-sufficient. So far we are managing well. We are selling the spinach from our house in Windhoek and we cannot keep up with the demand. Even the eggs are in high demand, so much so that we do not eat our own eggs as every single one is bought,” said Gabes.
The chicken run and garden are Ndahafa's domain; she even talks to her plants.
The couple's children, Merrill, Tauya and Emma, have proved to be a great help in getting the farm running and assist with veterinary advice, financial and physical assistance.
“Our youth must leave the 'Vrrrpaaas' and start producing at home. Start at your little backyard with a garden and expand. Learn from the white farmers: you always see them in shorts and velskoene in the bank but he holds the economy in his hands,” said Gabes.
His main motto is hard work and respect for your neighbour.
JEMIMA BEUKES
In 2013 the 64-year-old was resettled on 2 500 hectares of farmland on the farm Welgemoed in the Khomas Region.
Muteka and his wife Ndahafa, both liberation struggle veterans, are weekend farmers but have been running the farm successfully and as a result scooped the 2016 Agra award for emerging resettlement farmer.
“We could only do it with the guidance of our mentors and most importantly our faith in God helped us to push through,” said Gabes.
“We had to start from nothing. It was just stones and grass. We slept in our bakkie for a while and eventually moved on to a tent until we had built our corrugated iron hut. We used our hands to clear the land to make the kraal for the goats, which we used trees for,” he explained.
They eventually managed to build a cattle kraal as well as a lavatory for the farmworkers and themselves.
The more than 80 cattle were financed by Agribank while the couple also had to put in their savings to finance the operations at the farm.
“Farming is not a jolly-ride. If you are a farmer then your bank account is always in the red. You have to work very hard to be a successful farmer. Farming is not about taking cattle to water and to feeding lot,. You must take care of your animals and that takes a lot of time and patience,” said Gabes.
His advice to the Namibian youth and other resettlement farmers is to “meet government halfway”.
“I know sometimes the conditions are not improving but there are simple things that we can do to make a success. If you have got the land, try and build your own home and do not expect government to come and build a house. Even to fix the windmill or the fences should not be demanded from government. Be grateful and appreciate what you have,” he said.
Gabes and his wife Ndahafa married in exile and returned in the late 1980s.
The couple, who had waited 18 years for their land application to succeed, said the timing was perfect.
“I believe there could not have been a better time. Perhaps if we got the farm when our children were still small we would not have made a success of it. We also had very demanding careers,” said Ndahafa, who studied in India.
Ndahafa has managed to start a successful garden from scratch and has so far harvested spinach, onion, tomatoes, asparagus, chillies and even potatoes.
“I am experimenting with many types of plants. Because the land is so arid it is difficult to tell what exactly will work so through experimenting I learn. I have planted an apple tree and it is blooming remarkably,” she said as she reaches for a baby apple hanging from the two-metre-tall tree.
She has also experimented with a Moringa tree but it is withering away.
“We are striving to be self-sufficient. So far we are managing well. We are selling the spinach from our house in Windhoek and we cannot keep up with the demand. Even the eggs are in high demand, so much so that we do not eat our own eggs as every single one is bought,” said Gabes.
The chicken run and garden are Ndahafa's domain; she even talks to her plants.
The couple's children, Merrill, Tauya and Emma, have proved to be a great help in getting the farm running and assist with veterinary advice, financial and physical assistance.
“Our youth must leave the 'Vrrrpaaas' and start producing at home. Start at your little backyard with a garden and expand. Learn from the white farmers: you always see them in shorts and velskoene in the bank but he holds the economy in his hands,” said Gabes.
His main motto is hard work and respect for your neighbour.
JEMIMA BEUKES
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