Battered by challenges, Kunene green schemes fight to stay afloat

The Warmquelle and Khowarib green schemes in Kunene are battling severe floods, extreme heat, high crop losses, and unreliable power supply, all of which threaten their profitability.

Despite a N$34 million investment, the projects are still struggling to generate returns, the farm's management team said during a recent Environmental Investment Fund (EIF) oversight visit.

Johannes Swanepoel, who has managed the schemes for almost two years, said a pipeline crucial for fodder production was washed away during last year’s floods.

Repairs are now delayed until the rainy season ends, as the river is unpredictable and could wash away new infrastructure.

“We are just a bit afraid of starting repairs now because that river is very unpredictable,” Swanepoel explained. “I think at the end of March we’ll start the repairs on that pipeline.”

Extreme weather, such as floods and the harsh semi-desert climate, has caused crop losses of up to 40%, particularly for sweet corn, and has also affected butternut and green peppers.

Electricity outages are adding to the schemes’ challenges, Swanepoel said.

Up to N$50 000 worth of produce can be at risk at any one time in cold storage. While irrigation runs on solar power, the packing rooms and offices rely on Nored electricity, which can be off for days.

“Sometimes from Wednesday until Friday, I’ve got about N$40 000, N$50 000 of stock in my cold room, and then the power goes off with Nored or NamPower. We push them to switch it on as quickly as possible,” Swanepoel said.

Local jobs, local skills

Despite the challenges, the schemes employ between 35 and 45 people, with around 90% drawn from local communities.

About 65% of employees are women, and half the workforce are young people, all receiving daily training in modern farming techniques.

Swanepoel said the schemes remain unprofitable, although basic costs such as salaries, seeds, fertiliser and electricity are currently covered.

“Mr Sivolo has also invested, apart from the $34 million, by himself, and it’s more than six figures. But we survive at the moment, and it looks good,” he added.

The projects supply produce to Windhoek markets, including Freshmark, Metro, and the Fresh Produce Market, and sell fodder to local communities at nearly half the retail price to help farmers during droughts.

Swanepoel added that engineers are now developing flood mitigation measures to prevent similar damage in future rainy seasons.

“The flood is unpredictable, but from the data we had last year, we are going to do it quite differently from the previous one that flooded,” he said.

[email protected]