Neckartal irrigation land still in private hands
Although the government has agreed on a price for the land that will serve as the Neckartal irrigation scheme, it has not yet taken ownership of the land.
This was confirmed by ministry of agriculture executive director Percy Misika when asked about the progress made with the planned irrigation project following the handover of the Neckartal Dam to his ministry.
“Government negotiated with the land owners and prices were agreed to. The funds to pay the farmers for the land have also been set aside.
“The process of registering the land with the Deeds Office has not been finalised and the payments for the acquisition of the land have also not been finalised yet, but negotiations with land owners have been concluded,” he added.
The government last week took ownership of the new dam. An irrigation scheme is now planned where dates, lucerne and grapes, to mention but a few crops, can be cultivated.
The government paid N$3.1 million to relocate communal farmers from the area to be covered by the dam. Misika was asked how much the government would spend to compensate commercial farm owners for the purchase of the 5 000 hectares of land they still possess.
“The amount is still confidential information and we will only release that information at a later stage,” he said.
Irrigation activities will start as soon as the land has been transferred to the government and once the dam fills up to adequate levels. NamWater will take ownership of the dam once it fills to a level of at least 45 metres. Testing of the dam's mechanical and electrical components should also occur before the transfer.
The ministry said once the land was transferred and registered as government property, AgriBusDev would spearhead the irrigation scheme.
The Windhoek Observer reported in 2018 that the government would probably have to pay a premium for the land.
The government is said to have paid N$955 727 in compensation to 18 communal farmers who occupied 3 900 hectares of grazing land around the Neckartal Dam site, the Windhoek Observer reported.
“The 18 communal farmers have since been successfully relocated or resettled and paid under the Compensation Policy Guidelines for Communal Land as approved in terms of a Cabinet decision,” Misika said at the time.
The irrigation scheme is expected to employ close to 800 people permanently and about 1 000 more seasonal workers during harvesting. The dam was built at a cost of N$5.6 billion by Italian firm Salini Impregilo.
OGONE TLHAGE
This was confirmed by ministry of agriculture executive director Percy Misika when asked about the progress made with the planned irrigation project following the handover of the Neckartal Dam to his ministry.
“Government negotiated with the land owners and prices were agreed to. The funds to pay the farmers for the land have also been set aside.
“The process of registering the land with the Deeds Office has not been finalised and the payments for the acquisition of the land have also not been finalised yet, but negotiations with land owners have been concluded,” he added.
The government last week took ownership of the new dam. An irrigation scheme is now planned where dates, lucerne and grapes, to mention but a few crops, can be cultivated.
The government paid N$3.1 million to relocate communal farmers from the area to be covered by the dam. Misika was asked how much the government would spend to compensate commercial farm owners for the purchase of the 5 000 hectares of land they still possess.
“The amount is still confidential information and we will only release that information at a later stage,” he said.
Irrigation activities will start as soon as the land has been transferred to the government and once the dam fills up to adequate levels. NamWater will take ownership of the dam once it fills to a level of at least 45 metres. Testing of the dam's mechanical and electrical components should also occur before the transfer.
The ministry said once the land was transferred and registered as government property, AgriBusDev would spearhead the irrigation scheme.
The Windhoek Observer reported in 2018 that the government would probably have to pay a premium for the land.
The government is said to have paid N$955 727 in compensation to 18 communal farmers who occupied 3 900 hectares of grazing land around the Neckartal Dam site, the Windhoek Observer reported.
“The 18 communal farmers have since been successfully relocated or resettled and paid under the Compensation Policy Guidelines for Communal Land as approved in terms of a Cabinet decision,” Misika said at the time.
The irrigation scheme is expected to employ close to 800 people permanently and about 1 000 more seasonal workers during harvesting. The dam was built at a cost of N$5.6 billion by Italian firm Salini Impregilo.
OGONE TLHAGE
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