The rain is finally here

Good rainfall in the past few days has brought relief and hope to drought-hit subsistence farmers in the North. Traditional authorities are urging their people to start ploughing their fields to make up for lost time. Senior headman Peter Kauluma, the head of the Ongula-yanetanga district of Ondonga, says parts of his district have received good rains since Saturday. “We received good rain for the past three days and most water plains are already full of water.” Kauluma says some people have started ploughing and he encourages the others to start too, mostly because it is late in the cropping season already and there aren’t enough tractors. “In our district there is only one government tractor. There are also some private tractors but they are not enough given the large number of households,” he says. According to him draught animals cannot be used this year because the animals are either dead or too weak to work. “The drought hit us heavily. Cattle died en masse. Only few households have cattle left, mostly those who did their utmost best to procure livestock fodder,” Kauluma says. “We have received some rain but it is not yet satisfactory,” says Chief Herman Iipumbu of the Uukwambi Traditional Authority. “But there is no time to waste and I encourage those who have received some rain to start ploughing and those who have not yet received any rain to not give up hope but rather get ready. The rain is coming. That is our hope.” Senior headman John Walenga of the Ondangwa district of Ondonga echoed Iipumbu, saying his district has received rain but needs more before ploughing could get in full swing. He said residents of his district suffered heavy livestock losses. Although the vast area had fairly good grazing throughout the drought period, water was very scarce. Good rains have other benefits such as the appearance of frogs that people catch to eat or sell. OSHAKATI PLACIDO HILUKILWA