The Hope Farm Project in the Erongo region received additional livestock on Monday as part of a joint initiative between the agriculture ministry and Swakop Uranium Foundation.

The project was inaugurated in July 2025 and aims to strengthen the rural economy by providing farmers with small stock.

Monday marked the official handover of phase two of the project.

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The farmers are given livestock and are expected to give back a portion of their herd at the end of a two-year period. Those animals will then be used to support new beneficiaries of the programme in other regions.

"The care you give your livestock, the discipline you apply within your cooperatives, and the responsibility you demonstrate in sustaining this revolving model will determine how far this initiative can reach," minister of agriculture, fisheries, water and land reform Inge Zaamwani said during the handover event at farm Daweb near Usakos.

To date, the project has benefited 48 farmers. Some 1 008 goats and sheep have been handed over, and the initial herd has increased in size since last July.

"This is clear evidence of responsible management, dedication, and the beneficiaries' readiness to embrace training, veterinary support, and improved husbandry practices," Zaamwani said.

The initiative is a public-private partnership, but the ministry has been running a small stock support revolving programme since 2009. Under that programme, a total of 16 380 ewes and 819 rams have been distributed among 819 farmers.

"Let us remember that agriculture remains the most powerful tool at our disposal to transform rural livelihoods and uplift communities," Zaamwani said.