Namibia: Conservation Agriculture to Take Center Stage

24 March 2015

The eyes of some 180 000 Namibia's communal crop farmers are firmly focused on the implementation of the European Union's Conservation Agriculture Project for Namibia via the International Food Organisation (FAO) after N$40 million was approved for this proven practice.

This will be emphasised in strong terms after the Ministry of Environment and Tourism has indicated that it will celebrate the World Day to Combat Desertification on June 17 in Omuthiya with special focus on conservation agriculture (CA). The practice, which minimises soil disturbance, maintains soil cover, and rotates crops, is a proven technique that improves soil fertility, and eliminates the efforts and costs associated with plowing. Even though the implementation of the programme has been discussed in detail by representatives of the ministries of Agriculture, Water and Forestry and Environment and Tourism and governors and regional councilors, the programme was introduced in Namibia in 2005. But despite the clear benefits and successes of conservation agriculture around the world, and especially in Namibia, it is little practiced in less wealthy countries and by only some 800 communal farmers in northern Namibia. The Namibia Specific Conservation Tillage (NSCT) technique was developed locally with locally manufactured implements and put to great use, increasing mahangu and maize crops of communal farmers by up to 1 500 percent.

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