Farmers in NCA empowered
A total of 145 363 hectares in the Northern Communal Areas (NCA) have been improved under rangeland management through a project of almost three years.
This was done through the Rangeland and Marketing Development Support Action (RMDSP-NCA) facilitated by the Meatco Foundation and through funding from the European Union, that came to an end on 15 March 2017.
Since its inception in September 2014, the programme focused on five main components, namely rangeland and livestock management, livestock marketing, conservation agriculture (CA), governance of cooperatives, and grazing area committees (village committees) in the Northern Communal Area.
Through a partnership between the Meatco Foundation, Conservation Agriculture Namibia (CAN), Meatco and the six regional livestock marketing cooperatives, various projects were streamlined.
According to Meatco 30 grazing areas were targeted and by the end of the project, an over achievement was recorded, covering 34 grazing areas with a total of 145 363 hectares was improved under rangeland management. Furthermore, the programme benefited 4 354 direct household beneficiaries and approximately 10 000 indirect household beneficiaries.
Additionally, gender equality was promoted with a 27% involvement of women subsequently improving their livelihoods by generating business opportunities for communities.
Cooperatives were also endorsed by increased memberships from the surrounding farmers through mobilisation, interaction and collaboration for the provision of specific services such as fodder, seed and the selling of offal as well as the organising of marketing opportunities at auctions.
According to Meatco, the project is one of the best ever integrated agricultural models in the communal sector.
“If it can be up scaled up, it will enhance the livelihoods of farmers and the communities of the NCA,” says Meatco.
The Meatco Foundation will continue to engage with the six cooperatives in the regions in order to oversee the planning and implementation of short-term and long-term activities. Through these projects the Meatco Foundation strives towards the commercialisation of communal livestock farmers in Namibia.
STAFF REPORTER
This was done through the Rangeland and Marketing Development Support Action (RMDSP-NCA) facilitated by the Meatco Foundation and through funding from the European Union, that came to an end on 15 March 2017.
Since its inception in September 2014, the programme focused on five main components, namely rangeland and livestock management, livestock marketing, conservation agriculture (CA), governance of cooperatives, and grazing area committees (village committees) in the Northern Communal Area.
Through a partnership between the Meatco Foundation, Conservation Agriculture Namibia (CAN), Meatco and the six regional livestock marketing cooperatives, various projects were streamlined.
According to Meatco 30 grazing areas were targeted and by the end of the project, an over achievement was recorded, covering 34 grazing areas with a total of 145 363 hectares was improved under rangeland management. Furthermore, the programme benefited 4 354 direct household beneficiaries and approximately 10 000 indirect household beneficiaries.
Additionally, gender equality was promoted with a 27% involvement of women subsequently improving their livelihoods by generating business opportunities for communities.
Cooperatives were also endorsed by increased memberships from the surrounding farmers through mobilisation, interaction and collaboration for the provision of specific services such as fodder, seed and the selling of offal as well as the organising of marketing opportunities at auctions.
According to Meatco, the project is one of the best ever integrated agricultural models in the communal sector.
“If it can be up scaled up, it will enhance the livelihoods of farmers and the communities of the NCA,” says Meatco.
The Meatco Foundation will continue to engage with the six cooperatives in the regions in order to oversee the planning and implementation of short-term and long-term activities. Through these projects the Meatco Foundation strives towards the commercialisation of communal livestock farmers in Namibia.
STAFF REPORTER
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