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Namibia: Livelihood Project Launched On Resettlement Farm
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The Namibian (Windhoek)
2 May 2008
Posted to the web 2 May 2008
Brigitte Weidlich
Windhoek
NEW Lands and Resettlement Minister Alpheus Naruseb on Monday launched a three-year support project in the Omaheke Region, which will help 229 families on four resettlement farms to become self-sufficient.
The three-year Livelihood Support Programme (LiSUP) started last year and benefits mainly San families on the resettlement farms Skoonheid, Drimiopsis, Donkerbos-Sonneblom in Omaheke and Arovley in the Khomas Region.
For the mainly San people on Skoonheid farm, who were resettled there in 1993, LiSUP is the first support they have received in 15 years.
Similarly, on Drimiopsis further south on the road from Gobabis to Epukiro, San people were resettled in 1991 and have since then only received a one-week training course from Government, some seeds from the Agriculture Ministry and nine cattle from the Roman Catholic Church, which they traded for alcohol.
Minister Naruseb hailed the co-operation with Spain and that country's non-governmental organisation FCEAR and the Desert Research Foundation of Namibia (DRFN), which are involved in this project.
"The object is to address poverty, improve the lifestyles of people in a holistic manner and achieve food security on these farms through agriculture," Naruseb said.
"Already I see today with my own eyes the harvest you have reaped from the maize fields behind us and the pumpkins, beans and nuts displayed here before us."
Naruseb urged the beneficiaries to maintain the farming equipment and to make the most of the training opportunities offered by the Spanish experts and those of the DRFN.
"Don't sit and wait for Government handouts," he said.
According to Deputy Fisheries Minister Kilus Nguvauva, who is also the Regional Councillor of the nearby Steinhausen constituency, a small aquaculture project might also be established on the three Omaheke farms, so that fish could become part of the diet and the surplus fish could be sold in towns.
Dr Detlof von Oertzen, Executive Director of the DRFN, said the LiSUP project would bring skills transfer and empowerment to the beneficiaries.
"Apart from Government and LiSUP's financial support (channelled from the Spanish government) the people of Skoonheid and Drimiopsis contributed N$1 000 and N$1 300 respectively to purchase diesel for their water pumps and to make irrigated crop production possible."
Crop cultivation would soon increase from 10 to 20 hectares, Von Oertzen noted, while a garden group at Skoonheid has already managed to produce 425 kg of maize, beans and peanuts, partially marketed and partially to be used as seed for the next planting season.
"Other successes are that garden produce was sold in Gobabis and also at the green market in Windhoek, while vegetables to the value of N$10 000 were grown for home consumption on Skoonheid for its people."
Other projects will include the production of fencing poles and bricks, while some crafts are already produced for sale to craft shops.
Spanish Ambassador Scola Pliego assured continued support for Government's land reform efforts with regard to the self-sufficiency of beneficiaries.
"Apart from the large maize and other crop fields, our families can also obtain plots of half a hectare each to produce our own vegetables for consumption and to sell the surplus," said Alfons Jors, Deputy Chairman of LiSUP.
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Jors and his family arrived at Skoonheid in 1993.
"Our community also received a core herd about 30 head of cattle donated to us.
When they multiply we can sell the calves and oxen for meat."
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