Visionary, energetic farming couple
A Kamanjab couple are supplying the local community with fresh eggs from their poultry venture.
07 October 2020 | Agriculture
STAFF REPORTER
WINDHOEK
Efraim Ashuulu and his wife, Elizabeth, are young and energetic farmers who grabbed the opportunity to venture into poultry through layer production to fill the gap of supplying eggs to the Kamanjab community instead of getting supplies from Windhoek and Okahandja.
According to Agribank this diversification drive from livestock has created an additional income stream. Ashuulu has a national diploma in agriculture while his wife has a bachelor's degree in human resources.
The couple started with 281 day-old Lohmann Brown chicks in October 2018 and added 300 more in March last year.
Since his wife is taking care of their poultry enterprise fulltime, they managed to sell 1 380 eggs per week to three schools, while the rest of the produce was sold locally, says Agribank.
Feeding the community
“With the impact of the coronavirus, schools soon closed which resulted in them losing that market. They now sell locally to the Kamanjab, Erwee and Werda communities as well as Otjiwarongo and Oshakati, when it makes business sense.” Their vision is to produce food for the community and to sustain themselves, but they are limited in terms of access to land. Once they secure a plot close to Kamanjab, they will relocate their poultry enterprise and expand further while also diversifying into piggery and starting a gardening project.
The couple invited the bank's Agri Advisory Services division to train them in production, record-keeping, marketing and value addition. Ashuulu has appealed to Agribank to not always ask for collateral in terms of a property, but rather to consider people who have farming experience, as there are many serious agri-preneurs who possess the drive to succeed.
WINDHOEK
Efraim Ashuulu and his wife, Elizabeth, are young and energetic farmers who grabbed the opportunity to venture into poultry through layer production to fill the gap of supplying eggs to the Kamanjab community instead of getting supplies from Windhoek and Okahandja.
According to Agribank this diversification drive from livestock has created an additional income stream. Ashuulu has a national diploma in agriculture while his wife has a bachelor's degree in human resources.
The couple started with 281 day-old Lohmann Brown chicks in October 2018 and added 300 more in March last year.
Since his wife is taking care of their poultry enterprise fulltime, they managed to sell 1 380 eggs per week to three schools, while the rest of the produce was sold locally, says Agribank.
Feeding the community
“With the impact of the coronavirus, schools soon closed which resulted in them losing that market. They now sell locally to the Kamanjab, Erwee and Werda communities as well as Otjiwarongo and Oshakati, when it makes business sense.” Their vision is to produce food for the community and to sustain themselves, but they are limited in terms of access to land. Once they secure a plot close to Kamanjab, they will relocate their poultry enterprise and expand further while also diversifying into piggery and starting a gardening project.
The couple invited the bank's Agri Advisory Services division to train them in production, record-keeping, marketing and value addition. Ashuulu has appealed to Agribank to not always ask for collateral in terms of a property, but rather to consider people who have farming experience, as there are many serious agri-preneurs who possess the drive to succeed.
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