Thousands of farmers assisted through subsidies
A total of 44 141 farmers have benefited from the Dry Land Crop Production Programme during the 2017/18 financial year.
The programme that provides agricultural services to farmers created more than 1 000 jobs for unemployed young people.
It was introduced by the agriculture ministry in Kavango East, Kavango West, Zambezi, Oshikoto, Oshana, Ohangwena, Omusati, Kunene North and partly in Otjozondjupa and Omaheke to increase food production.
Through this programme farmers were assisted with subsidised farm inputs such as fertilisers and improved seed, and agricultural services such as ploughing and weeding.
Agriculture minister Alpheus !Naruseb said during his budget motivation speech that 176 tons of fertilisers were distributed to farmers during the 2017/18 cropping season.
According to him 141 tons of different types of fertilisers were produced by the ministry.
He said 195 farmers benefited from the fertiliser subsidy - 100 men and 95 women. During the 2017/18 cropping season, 113 tons of mahangu seed, 334 tons of maize seed and 20 tons of cowpea seed were distributed among the implementing regions of the Dry Land Crop Production Programme.
A total of 12 137 farmers (7 207 female and 4 930 male) benefited from the seed subsidy during the period under review.
!Naruseb added that 15 707 hectares were ploughed through government-subsidised services.
He said a total of 28 179 farmers, of whom 16 907 were female and 11 272 were male, benefited from subsidised ploughing services.
The government had to add 50 tractors to the existing 127 to provide these services, said !Naruseb.
According to him 156 temporary jobs were created through the recruitment of contract tractor drivers.
With regard to weeding services, 2 315 farmers benefited during the 2017/18 cropping season. Of these farmers 926 were male and 1 389 female.
!Naruseb said in total 4 531 hectares were weeded across the regions.
Through the provision of weeding services to farmers, the ministry created 1 805 (801 male and 1 004 female) temporary jobs for unemployed young people.
ELLANIE SMIT
The programme that provides agricultural services to farmers created more than 1 000 jobs for unemployed young people.
It was introduced by the agriculture ministry in Kavango East, Kavango West, Zambezi, Oshikoto, Oshana, Ohangwena, Omusati, Kunene North and partly in Otjozondjupa and Omaheke to increase food production.
Through this programme farmers were assisted with subsidised farm inputs such as fertilisers and improved seed, and agricultural services such as ploughing and weeding.
Agriculture minister Alpheus !Naruseb said during his budget motivation speech that 176 tons of fertilisers were distributed to farmers during the 2017/18 cropping season.
According to him 141 tons of different types of fertilisers were produced by the ministry.
He said 195 farmers benefited from the fertiliser subsidy - 100 men and 95 women. During the 2017/18 cropping season, 113 tons of mahangu seed, 334 tons of maize seed and 20 tons of cowpea seed were distributed among the implementing regions of the Dry Land Crop Production Programme.
A total of 12 137 farmers (7 207 female and 4 930 male) benefited from the seed subsidy during the period under review.
!Naruseb added that 15 707 hectares were ploughed through government-subsidised services.
He said a total of 28 179 farmers, of whom 16 907 were female and 11 272 were male, benefited from subsidised ploughing services.
The government had to add 50 tractors to the existing 127 to provide these services, said !Naruseb.
According to him 156 temporary jobs were created through the recruitment of contract tractor drivers.
With regard to weeding services, 2 315 farmers benefited during the 2017/18 cropping season. Of these farmers 926 were male and 1 389 female.
!Naruseb said in total 4 531 hectares were weeded across the regions.
Through the provision of weeding services to farmers, the ministry created 1 805 (801 male and 1 004 female) temporary jobs for unemployed young people.
ELLANIE SMIT
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article