A farmer at Camp 3 in Otjiwarongo has raised concerns over inadequate water supply and the lack of fencing hindering farming activities, as the number of people and livestock in the area continues to grow.

Camp 3 is a municipal plot with about 20 households, initially intended for crop farming.

Joseph Ndishishi, a man passionate about food security through agricultural activities, was happy when he acquired a plot at Camp 3 about 11 years ago.

Over the years, however, livestock farming has also become common in the area, increasing pressure on the available water infrastructure.

Camp 3 currently relies on one borehole and three 10,000 liter water tanks to meet the water needs of residents and now also livestock at the camp.

Ndishishi said the infrastructure was established with the assistance of Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare during his tenure as Director for Water Supply and Sanitation.

“We are not sure that the water used to fill those tanks is sufficient. Although the tanks are filled, you can see that when you start watering, you can only water half the area because the water is quickly depleted. That is why we are asking for further support. If there is any institution, government office, our Councillor, or our governor that can assist us in finding additional support, we would greatly appreciate it.”

He said their lease agreement was only for 12 months and was not renewed, making it impossible for them to seek assistance themselves.

“And if you look at how many years we have been working with this list, it was supposed to have expired 12 months ago. Yet, we are still here, following up on it and going to the party offices, where people are still working on the matter. How is this supposed to work, and who are we going to report to? We now need the Councillor to revisit the situation and make changes so that the process can be more transparent and accessible, allowing people to understand it better. If I give you the money, I believe I should be able to get it back.”

Ndishishi said farmers also require shade nets to protect their crops from harsh weather conditions, as well as storage containers for their produce once harvesting begins.

Another major concern is the lack of fencing.

According to Ndishishi, livestock freely enter crop-growing areas, putting farmers' crops at risk and making it difficult to sustain agricultural production.

Otjiwarongo Municipality's Public Relations Officer, Adelheid Shilongo, said the one-year lease agreements issued for Camp 3 plots may be renewed at the discretion of the Council, and the Municipality is currently reviewing municipal properties to ensure lease documentation is up-to-date.

Successful applicants are responsible for providing water infrastructure for their plots at their own cost and installing fencing around their allocated plot.

However, one borehole has been drilled, and a feasibility study is expected to determine whether an additional borehole is viable.

Farming activities with large-scale livestock contravening municipal requirements may be impounded, with the applicable fees payable by the owners before the animals are released.