SMALL-SCALE farmers who were relocated to make way for the development of a Green Scheme agricultural project in the Kapako Constituency of the Kavango Region will receive their long-awaited compensation from this week, an official promised.

A total of 212 affected small-scale farmers were registered to receive the compensation after being relocated to higher ground in the same villages.

The Sikondo agricultural project will cover about 800 hectares of land, and forms part of the Government's Green Scheme project that strives to attain food security in the country.

The Secretary of the Mbunza Traditional Authority, Dagobert Mukoya, who registered the names of these farmers, told Nampa last week that the first phase of developing the project, which includes clearing and demarcating the whole area, has not yet started because the affected farmers have to receive their compensation first.

Mukoya said he received a letter from the Agriculture Ministry, notifying them that farmers would be compensated from this week and according to the size of the land they previously occupied.

The affected farmers are from Mupini, Sikondo, Nakazaza and Kayira Yira villages.

Government allocated about N$1,5 million to compensate the affected farmers.

There are currently five Green Scheme agricultural projects in the Kavango Region, namely the Shadikongoro, Shitemo, Mashare, Uvhungu-Vungu and Musese agricultural projects.

- Nampa