NDF fails at farming
With the Namibia Defence Force (NDF) struggling to feed its soldiers, land acquired for small-scale farming at the Olushandja Dam in the Omusati Region seven years ago is not being utilised.
The NDF obtained about 20 hectares of farmland from the Uukolonkadhi Traditional Authority to produce vegetables, but this land is being used as a parking lot for military vehicles. There are over 90 small-scale farmers producing food using water from the Olushandja Dam, most of whom are thriving.
It was reported that the NDF acquired the land with the aim of establishing an agricultural project.
The defence ministry spends millions of dollars on feeding its soldiers, through the August 26 Holding Company, owned by the NDF.
Instead of deploying military personnel to produce food, every month the NDF sends about
1 000 army personnel on leave because it can no longer afford to feed them.
When contacted for comment, the NDF spokesperson, Lieutenant-Colonel Petrus Shilumbu, told Namibian Sun that the land in question belongs the Air Defence Brigade Combined Club.
He said the land was acquired to enable the club to establish an agricultural project.
He said the Defence Act makes provision for military units to establish clubs, messes and trading institutions for the exclusive use or benefit of members of the Defence Force.
“Production on that field has been going well for the past years. They produced vegetables such as tomatoes, onions, carrots and so on, which they used to sell to the communities in Omusati and Oshana to generate funds for the club. Production was, however, negatively affected due to unavailability of water at Etaka as a result of low rainfall experienced in that area,” Shilumbu said.
“It is our expectation that there will be better rainfall in 2020 to enable the Combined Club to realise the project's full production capacity.”
This is contrary to what irrigation farmers in the area are saying about this farm, though.
The chairperson of the Olushandja Farmers' Association, Sylvanus Naunyango, says they do not see anything happening at the farm.
“Despite the devastating drought this year, it does not affect us. Olushandja Dam is full to capacity, because it's the channel used to pump water to Uuvudhiya. As for the defence farm, we see them there doing nothing,” Naunyango said.
“We feel it is used more for military purposes than agriculture. They do not even take part in the activities of our association.”
The regional manager of the Ongwediva Fresh Produce Business Hub, Jacob Hamutenya, told Namibian Sun that they have not been offered any produce by the NDF.
[email protected]
ILENI NANDJATO
The NDF obtained about 20 hectares of farmland from the Uukolonkadhi Traditional Authority to produce vegetables, but this land is being used as a parking lot for military vehicles. There are over 90 small-scale farmers producing food using water from the Olushandja Dam, most of whom are thriving.
It was reported that the NDF acquired the land with the aim of establishing an agricultural project.
The defence ministry spends millions of dollars on feeding its soldiers, through the August 26 Holding Company, owned by the NDF.
Instead of deploying military personnel to produce food, every month the NDF sends about
1 000 army personnel on leave because it can no longer afford to feed them.
When contacted for comment, the NDF spokesperson, Lieutenant-Colonel Petrus Shilumbu, told Namibian Sun that the land in question belongs the Air Defence Brigade Combined Club.
He said the land was acquired to enable the club to establish an agricultural project.
He said the Defence Act makes provision for military units to establish clubs, messes and trading institutions for the exclusive use or benefit of members of the Defence Force.
“Production on that field has been going well for the past years. They produced vegetables such as tomatoes, onions, carrots and so on, which they used to sell to the communities in Omusati and Oshana to generate funds for the club. Production was, however, negatively affected due to unavailability of water at Etaka as a result of low rainfall experienced in that area,” Shilumbu said.
“It is our expectation that there will be better rainfall in 2020 to enable the Combined Club to realise the project's full production capacity.”
This is contrary to what irrigation farmers in the area are saying about this farm, though.
The chairperson of the Olushandja Farmers' Association, Sylvanus Naunyango, says they do not see anything happening at the farm.
“Despite the devastating drought this year, it does not affect us. Olushandja Dam is full to capacity, because it's the channel used to pump water to Uuvudhiya. As for the defence farm, we see them there doing nothing,” Naunyango said.
“We feel it is used more for military purposes than agriculture. They do not even take part in the activities of our association.”
The regional manager of the Ongwediva Fresh Produce Business Hub, Jacob Hamutenya, told Namibian Sun that they have not been offered any produce by the NDF.
[email protected]
ILENI NANDJATO
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article