//Karas youth can help food security
Business and economic activity in the region are declining.
14 July 2020 | Business
The youth in the //Karas region should organise themselves and start agricultural projects to ensure future food security, Swapo's regional coordinator, Matheus Mumbala, has said.
Mumbala, while addressing the party's regional executive committee meeting on Saturday, said the youth should organise themselves by applying for funding from the Development Bank of Namibia and the ministry of finance for agricultural projects that will enhance food security.
The economic status and business activities in the region are declining as this has become more visible with the ongoing retrenchments of mineworkers and those in the fishing industry, he said.
“The aftermath of the drought of 2019, which left many farmers devastated, is still prevailing. I visited some areas and it is very dry, meaning crop production and animal farming is unfavourable. However, there is water in the newly-constructed Neckartal Dam that needs to be utilised optimally,” said Mumbala.
He said as leaders they need to encourage and advocate massive crop farming especially the production of maize, potatoes, tomatoes, fodder and others.
Covid-19
Mumbala added that the Covid-19 pandemic should open people's minds to new innovations because Namibia remains vulnerable due to inadequate food production and continue to rely on importation of essential goods from neighbouring countries.
Should those countries decide to close their borders then Namibia will remain food insecure.
“If the situation gets worse it will affect us as we rely on imported goods. We cannot continue to rely on the importation of food, we need to produce enough food for ourselves,” he said.
Mumbala further said there is a need to propose sustainable strategies and ways to the ministry of agriculture, water and land reform that would oppose companies created as middlemen, as they have the potential to collapse. - Nampa
Mumbala, while addressing the party's regional executive committee meeting on Saturday, said the youth should organise themselves by applying for funding from the Development Bank of Namibia and the ministry of finance for agricultural projects that will enhance food security.
The economic status and business activities in the region are declining as this has become more visible with the ongoing retrenchments of mineworkers and those in the fishing industry, he said.
“The aftermath of the drought of 2019, which left many farmers devastated, is still prevailing. I visited some areas and it is very dry, meaning crop production and animal farming is unfavourable. However, there is water in the newly-constructed Neckartal Dam that needs to be utilised optimally,” said Mumbala.
He said as leaders they need to encourage and advocate massive crop farming especially the production of maize, potatoes, tomatoes, fodder and others.
Covid-19
Mumbala added that the Covid-19 pandemic should open people's minds to new innovations because Namibia remains vulnerable due to inadequate food production and continue to rely on importation of essential goods from neighbouring countries.
Should those countries decide to close their borders then Namibia will remain food insecure.
“If the situation gets worse it will affect us as we rely on imported goods. We cannot continue to rely on the importation of food, we need to produce enough food for ourselves,” he said.
Mumbala further said there is a need to propose sustainable strategies and ways to the ministry of agriculture, water and land reform that would oppose companies created as middlemen, as they have the potential to collapse. - Nampa
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