Windhoek — This year's Okakarara Trade Fair is an ideal 'one-stop shop' for the residents of Okakarara. For residents with business aspirations, the fair will present numerous opportunities for setting up small and medium enterprises, while those with an inclination for farming would also find the trade fair very useful.

"After all, the trade fair strives to enhance business opportunities for local entrepreneurs and assist them with better market opportunities for their products and services," says the chairman of the Okakarara Trade Fair, Roger Kambatuku.

The agricultural side of the show will feature various service provi-ders in the agricultural sector, with the notable presence of Agra and Meatco, who will have information sessions during the entire event.

"Information sessions will deal with issues such as farm management, crop production, and how to manage livestock," says Kambatuku.

Farmers will have a chance to look at the best breeds and interact with service providers. When they exit the trade fair gates, they would have a mountain of useful information.

The Okakarara Trade Fair takes place on September 03 to 12.

Last year, Meatco became the official sponsor of future livestock exhibitions at the Okakarara Trade Fair, and started the relationship by hosting informatiion evenings for livestock producers and farmers.

The company said the direct relationship with the farmers at the Okakarara Trade Fair comes at an opportune time, when the livestock sector and the beef industry face numerous challenges, from production to marketing.

Meatco has committed N$240 000 in sponsorship of the event until 2014. The company will be sponsoring the slaughter ox competition, small stock section and livestock exhibition evenings.

The slaughter ox competition is an important event as it affords producers an opportunity to learn market requirements to establish viable slaughter cattle production.

Kambatuku says all arrangements are in place and the town council is ready to host this year's event.

The main strategy of the organisers of the trade fair, says Kambatuku, is to "facilitate trade and business linkages between our indigenous market entrepreneurs and foreign exhibitors in an attempt to satisfy our local market".

The region will also host an inter-regional agricultural and industrial show, subsequent to the trade fair. The show will be hosted by the Otjozondjupa Communal Farmers' Union and Omaheke Regional Farmers' Union, which effectively brings the two regions of Otjozondjupa and Omaheke together.

This show will take place in October "as a platform for farmers and business people to meet and exchange ideas on the quality of the respective produce".

Kambatuku says the shows would not be "a duplication" because, unlike the trade fair, the proposed inter-agricultural show will be strictly for the two regions.

"Whereas the inter-agricultural show is strictly for animals, the trade fair focus is on industry and the promotion of SMEs," says Kambatuka.

Meanwhile, Kambatuku says the number of responses from exhibitors for the Okakarara Trade Fair is overwhelming.

The fair is bound to be the biggest trade fair that the town council has hosted yet.