The farming communities at Erindirozombaka in the Otjombinde Constituency have prioritised crop production to address food shortages at the household level.

This is after the community drilled boreholes with the assistance from the government.

According to the Headman of Erindirozombaka, Job Kaurivi, they have been experiencing water shortages for quite some time up until now.

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare aided the community with a solar-powered borehole. 

Now the community has come up with the idea of setting up a garden project, as food security has become a serious challenge in the country.

Kaurivi said it is now expected from each household to come up with different varieties of crops to plant at the community garden.

Moreover, the newly installed borehole will also provide water for livestock, as they used to rely on a nearby village for water provision. 

Agriculturally, now I will call upon the community to take care of the facility, as it has to sustain us, including the next generation. In this garden we will plant a variety of crops such as carrots, green peppers, and tomatoes. We were given fruit trees that will be planted in this open area, but most of them died, as we used to have water problems and even pumpkins and melons.

The agriculturalist is optimistic that if most villages can come up with such initiatives, it will address malnutrition in the region.

 Otjombinde Councillor Wenzel Kavaka applauds the residents for coming up with such a proposal.

Kavaka added that such projects should not only be meant for food production but should also play an integral role in education. 

"It is very close to the settlement, so when learners are doing practical work, times should come here and do practical work, and this will help schools a lot. And what we are also planning is that if these people are producing sufficient food, they can market this to community hostels, as we are having schools like Helana and Donkerbos that are having hostels, so the vegetables they are getting from this garden they can also provide to schools." 

Erindirozombaka is home to 13 households.