Locals near green schemes 'survive on leftovers'

Residents living near government-run irrigation schemes in Kavango East say the projects have done little to uplift surrounding communities, leaving them to survive on post-harvest scraps despite decades of operation and millions in taxpayer funds.During a stakeholder engagement with the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Natural Resources this week, local resident Rudolph Haingura said communities neighbouring the schemes benefit minimally.“Those of us living nearby often survive on only what’s left after the combine harvester has passed,” he said. “Instead of meaningful access to produce, we depend on leftovers. The schemes were meant to fight hunger and unemployment, but for us here, that goal still feels far away.”Haingura added that small-scale farmers remain trapped in poverty, unable to transition into medium-scale production because of limited market access, high input costs, scarce equipment, and a lack of training support.‘Unacceptably slow’ progressIndependent Patriots for Change (IPC) parliamentary leader and committee member Imms Nashinge echoed these frustrations during a visit to the region on Tuesday.“Thirty-five years later, we should be far ahead. The green schemes haven’t evolved much in the past 15 years. The potential is there, but action has been slow and inconsistent,” he said, citing bureaucratic delays, inflated costs, and corruption.He criticised the tender-driven practice of buying fertiliser through middlemen, saying it delays operations and opens room for misconduct. Nashinge further argued the schemes need to move beyond low-value crops like maize and tomatoes.“Why not ginger? Why not blueberries? High-value crops are in demand both locally and internationally,” he said.During the committee’s visit to Shadikongoro green scheme, Nashinge also raised concern about weak financial accountability.“What actually comes into the bank? There’s no clear tracking. Communities deserve tangible solutions and accountability,” he stressed.Government admits challengesMinistry of agriculture deputy director for the north-eastern region, Vihoroka Kaapehi, admitted that progress has been sluggish, with profitability remaining low since 2019.“Since 2023, the ministry has become more involved, and there have been improvements in the last two cropping seasons, but some components remain non-functional,” he said.According to Kaapehi, high input costs and electricity bills remain major obstacles. The ministry is now exploring operational restructuring, integrating agri-business staff, and turning to renewable energy to cut expenses.Looking beyond maizeNashinge urged Kavango East to think beyond traditional subsistence models, pointing to tourism, agri-processing, and export markets as growth avenues.“We should package and brand our products locally, targeting not only Namibia but also markets like Dubai. We have skilled Namibians ready to contribute, yet slow consultants are holding back progress,” he said.For many in the region, however, the vision of thriving green schemes remains a promise unfulfilled – with locals still left scavenging from the harvests that were supposed to lift them out of poverty. - phillipus@nmh-hub.com.na

Locals near green schemes 'survive on leftovers'

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Namibian Sun 2026-04-29

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Locals near green schemes 'survive on leftovers'

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Namibian Sun 2026-04-29

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