Farming couple Streicher and Hella Coetzee scooped the Livestock Producer of the Year 2024 award at a glittering gala dinner in Windhoek on Monday evening.
They drove back home to their Okahandja farm with the top prize of a brand new Toyota Hilux 4x4 bakkie, to the envy of colleagues and competitors.
The event, attended by about 120 guests, was hosted by the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU) and the Livestock Producers Organisation, courtesy of sponsors Bank Windhoek, Toyota, Agribank, Old Mutual, Swavet, Feedmaster, Pupkewitz Toyota, Sinclair Services and Agra.
Diethelm and Katja Metzger snatched the second prize, while Hendrik and Priska Botha claimed third place.
According to the NAU, the Coetzee family, who are members of the Hochfeld Farmers' Association, have been farming in the Okahandja district for 22 years.
They both hold agricultural degrees in livestock science, with Hella specialising in agricultural economics and Streicher a master in sustainable agriculture.
Streicher also sits on the Bonsmara Breeders' Association board.
"We are so humbled," said Hella.
"The competition was keen and the judges must have had a tough time in deciding the winners," she said.
Streicher believes what gave them the edge was teamwork and attention to detail.
He emphasised the importance of agriculture for economic stability, job creation, poverty alleviation, food security, as well as education and empowerment in trades and skills development.
He said their farm primarily focuses on cattle production, with 48% being commercial and 43% stud farming.
"We also engage in small-scale crop production, hay production, trophy hunting and sheep farming," Hella added.
Diethelm and Katja Metzger have been farming with their children Nikolai and Nicola, in the Windhoek district, for 29 years.
Their farming enterprise is well-diversified, with 27% focused on slaughter beef, 14% on stud cattle and 49% on trophy hunting.
Additionally, 10% of their operations include guests and hunting, and a few other activities.
The Metzgers emphasise the importance of efficient farming as the land available for food production decreases.
For the family, wildlife management is an essential way to make optimal use of scarce land and see wildlife farming as complementary to cattle farming.
Botha, who began his agricultural career at the age of 25, also farms with his wife Priska in the Okahandja area.
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He believes the sustainable utilisation of wildlife is important, as it brings investment to Namibia through trophy hunting.
He uses quarterly market indicators from Meatco, and markets his cattle at 28 to 30 months, weighing between 280 and 310 kg each.
Other winners included Charl van Rooyen, who won the Media Personality of the Year award, and Annette Kotze, who took the Agricultural Woman of the Year Award.
Agribank's Windhoek branch manager Kamaauu Nandova congratulated the winners and advised farmers who may need financial assistance to approach the bank.
- email: matthew@namibian.com.na
