Klein Musese, a beacon of hope

Under the scorching sun, Martin Ihemba (32) surveys his flourishing vegetable garden, Klein Musese, named after Musese, the village where he grew up. What started as a humble venture has grown into a beacon of hope for Martin, his family and his community.Determined to provide fresh produce for his family and community, and to reduce their dependency on expensive store-bought vegetables, he transformed a barren patch of land into what is now Klein Musese. With sheer determination, he started with a few seeds and a dream, nurturing his garden day by day.From setback to opportunityMartin’s journey as a horticulturist began in 2012, a year marked by the end of his formal education. After performing poorly in his matric exams, Martin faced limited options for further studies and struggled with feelings of hopelessness about his future. “It was a tough time for me,” he recalls. “I was unsure about my next steps.”Despite the challenges, Martin found a new path in agriculture, seeing potential in an unused plot of land near his family’s homestead in Musese village, close to the Okavango River.“Living near the river made agriculture feel like a natural choice,” Martin says. However, the early stages were challenging. "We had no proper tools, just traditional hoes and manual labour."Support and growthThe turning point came when the Kavango West Regional Council took notice of Martin’s efforts and provided fencing material to help expand his garden. The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) later stepped in, offering a set of essential gardening tools, including wheelbarrows, spades, rakes, gardening forks and a drip irrigation system that serves his half-hectare farm. FAO also provided various seeds, including tomatoes, onions and butternuts.This support allowed Martin to transform Klein Musese into a productive, mechanised and diversified farm. The garden now serves as a reliable source of income for Martin and his family, with a variety of vegetables – including tomatoes, onions, green peppers, and butternuts – sold at local markets and to resellers, such as street vendors in nearby towns like Nkurenkuru and Rundu.A life transformed"The garden has improved my life because I no longer need to ask for money. I can now support myself and my family by selling my produce in the community,” Martin shares.Martin’s success has also contributed to his community. “I occasionally hire extra hands to help prepare the garden beds and with other tasks,” he says. “It’s rewarding to be able to create employment opportunities for others in the community.”Martin expressed his gratitude for the support he has received. “I’m incredibly thankful to the FAO and the government of Japan for this assistance,” he says. “It’s empowering me to grow more produce, generate income for myself and my family, and contribute to the community’s food security.”Martin is one of more than 1 000 young people who have benefited from the Japan-funded project, Emergency Response to Mitigate Multiple Shocks Impacting Food Security and Nutrition and Enhance the Resilience of Livelihoods in Namibia. The project focuses on empowering youth through capacity-building interventions and providing crucial agricultural inputs.A vision for the future“Martin is a shining example of how youth can transform agriculture with the right support,” says Qingyun Diao, FAO representative in Namibia. “His story is not just about farming; it’s about youth empowering themselves and their communities. It highlights that with enough support, young people can drive the transformation of agriculture in Namibia and across Africa.”Klein Musese stands as a testament to the power of youthful determination and the transformative potential of collaborative efforts in mitigating the impacts of climate change and building resilience among young people.Thanks to the support from the FAO and Japan, Martin’s ambitions continue to grow: "I want to achieve even more from my garden.”

Klein Musese, a beacon of hope

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-01

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Klein Musese, a beacon of hope

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-01

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