Germany pledges seed and fertiliser
Germany has pledged to provide seed and fertiliser for the current cropping season in an effort to support Namibia in mitigating the impacts of the drought.
This was announced in a statement issued by the agriculture ministry last week.
With additional funds made available to respond to the devastating drought gripping most parts of the country, the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), in collaboration with the agriculture ministry, has purchased 203 tonnes of pearl millet (mahangu) seed, 70 tonnes of white maize seed and 503 tonnes of fertiliser.
The ministry estimates that the seed will permit the cultivation of more than 40 000 hectares of the staple crops pearl millet and maize and may yield a harvest of 47 000 tonnes.
The ministry said that would contribute significantly to food security and availability of seed during the post-harvest season of 2020.
The support is targeted towards rural farming households in the Kavango East, Kavango West, Kunene, Ohangwena, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa and Zambezi regions.
These regions recorded crop failures during the 2018/2019 cropping season. The seed and fertiliser will be distributed to the farmers at the end of December 2019.
STAFF REPORTER
This was announced in a statement issued by the agriculture ministry last week.
With additional funds made available to respond to the devastating drought gripping most parts of the country, the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), in collaboration with the agriculture ministry, has purchased 203 tonnes of pearl millet (mahangu) seed, 70 tonnes of white maize seed and 503 tonnes of fertiliser.
The ministry estimates that the seed will permit the cultivation of more than 40 000 hectares of the staple crops pearl millet and maize and may yield a harvest of 47 000 tonnes.
The ministry said that would contribute significantly to food security and availability of seed during the post-harvest season of 2020.
The support is targeted towards rural farming households in the Kavango East, Kavango West, Kunene, Ohangwena, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa and Zambezi regions.
These regions recorded crop failures during the 2018/2019 cropping season. The seed and fertiliser will be distributed to the farmers at the end of December 2019.
STAFF REPORTER
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