President ‘very pleased’ with Kavango green schemes

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah says expanded irrigation, active harvesting and crop diversification at green scheme projects in the Kavango East and West regions show encouraging progress, following visits to the Uvhungu-Vungu and Sikondo farms.

The visits formed part of her familiarisation tour of national green schemes, where she assessed agricultural productivity, reviewed progress and reaffirmed government's commitment to strengthening food security and agricultural development.

At the Uvhungu-Vungu Green Scheme, farm manager Floris Smith told the president the scheme had achieved a milestone after it fully utilised its agricultural land while producing high-quality maize.

“We have already started harvesting on the other side of the farm at the old Site 1 next to the office. The whole land is under irrigation and there are no open spaces. We are fully planted,” Smith told the president.

“Due to your intervention, this is what I have come to show you. It started almost two years ago and today we are fully planted,” he said.

In response, Nandi-Ndaitwah praised the project's management and workers, saying: “I am very pleased. The farm manager and everyone are saying that since my last visit they have been able to improve in terms of utilising the whole land. I hope this good work continues."

Smith also informed the president that the project's output consistently achieves the highest grading.

“Whatever we sowed up to now was Grade 1. What we have delivered so far has all been Grade 1, and we want to continue with that,” he said.

He attributed the top quality to healthy crop conditions and effective farm management.

"We want to repeat this again and continue improving,” Smith said.

Tough conditions

Smith said the farm still faces production challenges linked to sandy soils and weather-related setbacks.

“In sandy soil it is extremely difficult. We need to improve the quality of the soil and adjust the pH by applying lime so that we can achieve better yields,” he said.

The farm also suffered losses during a powerful windstorm on 31 March.

“We had one of our centre pivots destroyed by a windstorm, like a tornado, and after that we had almost 60 millimetres of rain. We now have to pick all the crops from the plants lying on the ground by hand before putting them through the combine harvester,” Smith explained.

The labour-intensive recovery effort has created temporary employment for about 120 casual workers.

“The windstorm created work for many people. At least with a disaster, it brings some relief for poor families who are now in crisis,” Smith said.

During the president's tour of the Sikondo Green Scheme in Kavango West, the focus shifted from grain harvesting to agricultural diversification and innovation.

Home-grown garlic and rice

Farm manager Maxwell Nghidinwa briefed Nandi-Ndaitwah on garlic production trials and rice cultivation research under centre-pivot irrigation systems aimed at expanding commercial farming opportunities and reducing dependence on imports.

The president praised farm workers and underscored agriculture’s importance to livelihoods and economic growth.

“I appreciate the work the farm workers do in feeding the country. Rural economies are key drivers of economic growth,” she said.