Farmers learn about rangeland management
Communal farmers in the north have praised the Namibia National Farmers' Union (NNFU) for organising the first communal rangeland management conference in the northern communal areas.
The workshop was held at the Ongwediva Rural Development Centre in the Oshana Region on 5 and 6 September and was attended by delegates from Oshikoto, Ohangwena, Oshana, Omusati and Kunene.
Grassland management has been a major challenge for northern farmers, said the vice-chairperson of the Oshana Regional Farmers' Union, Tomas Nambambi.
“That is why rangeland management is very important for us to enable farming to directly contribute to individual livelihoods and the national economy.”
Nambambi said the purpose of the workshop was to consult role players on the implementation of the National Range-Land Policy and Strategy (NRLPS) in communal areas.
The delegates discussed good rangeland management practices in communal areas and how to assess rangeland conditions.
They also identified people who could form a working group on rangeland management in terms of the policy.
The NNFU regional coordinator for the north-central and Kunene regions, Abraham Chacks Ashikutuwa, who was the facilitator, said the agricultural sector's productivity was facing serious decline because of environmental degradation, bush encroachment and frequent droughts and floods.
“All this is due to climate change that is taking its course globally, thus coping mechanisms are needed by farmers and stakeholders. Good rangeland management practices are needed to restore our resources and rescue them from being degraded by veld fires, soil erosion, overstocking, deforestation and other unsuitable management practices,” Ashikutuwa said.
He added that the sustainability of natural resources to benefit current and future farmers must not be taken for granted.
“This [rangeland] project is designed to contribute to awareness and enhance coordination on rangeland initiatives in communal areas set up by capacitating regional farmers' unions, farmers' associations, traditional leaders, the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry, training institutions, private organisations and all rangeland managers and utilisers,” Ashikutuwa said.
The conference was attended by representatives of the agriculture ministry, farmer's unions, livestock marketing cooperatives, Conservation Agriculture Namibia, the Sustainable Management Namibia Forested Lands (NAFOLA) Project, the Meatco Foundation, regional councils, the Meat Board of Namibia, traditional authorities and conservancies.
ILENI NANDJATO
The workshop was held at the Ongwediva Rural Development Centre in the Oshana Region on 5 and 6 September and was attended by delegates from Oshikoto, Ohangwena, Oshana, Omusati and Kunene.
Grassland management has been a major challenge for northern farmers, said the vice-chairperson of the Oshana Regional Farmers' Union, Tomas Nambambi.
“That is why rangeland management is very important for us to enable farming to directly contribute to individual livelihoods and the national economy.”
Nambambi said the purpose of the workshop was to consult role players on the implementation of the National Range-Land Policy and Strategy (NRLPS) in communal areas.
The delegates discussed good rangeland management practices in communal areas and how to assess rangeland conditions.
They also identified people who could form a working group on rangeland management in terms of the policy.
The NNFU regional coordinator for the north-central and Kunene regions, Abraham Chacks Ashikutuwa, who was the facilitator, said the agricultural sector's productivity was facing serious decline because of environmental degradation, bush encroachment and frequent droughts and floods.
“All this is due to climate change that is taking its course globally, thus coping mechanisms are needed by farmers and stakeholders. Good rangeland management practices are needed to restore our resources and rescue them from being degraded by veld fires, soil erosion, overstocking, deforestation and other unsuitable management practices,” Ashikutuwa said.
He added that the sustainability of natural resources to benefit current and future farmers must not be taken for granted.
“This [rangeland] project is designed to contribute to awareness and enhance coordination on rangeland initiatives in communal areas set up by capacitating regional farmers' unions, farmers' associations, traditional leaders, the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry, training institutions, private organisations and all rangeland managers and utilisers,” Ashikutuwa said.
The conference was attended by representatives of the agriculture ministry, farmer's unions, livestock marketing cooperatives, Conservation Agriculture Namibia, the Sustainable Management Namibia Forested Lands (NAFOLA) Project, the Meatco Foundation, regional councils, the Meat Board of Namibia, traditional authorities and conservancies.
ILENI NANDJATO
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