A resettled commercial farmer at Okorukambe in the Omaheke Region, Agnes Tjiramba, has urged fellow farmers to come up with ways to address developmental challenges.

Retired nurse Tjiramba said agriculture has the potential to solve many socio-economic challenges.

She has been a full-time farmer for the past five years and said the challenges of water provision, ploughing equipment, and recurrent droughts hinder the progress of most resettled commercial farmers. 

Farmers need financial support and mentorship programmes.

"The extension officers must get out of the offices. You cannot, as the ministry, have extension officers who are sitting in offices to do what? It is also the responsibility of the ministry to go to farmers who are producing, not only to be shown on the media when they want to cover that no resettlement farm is working, but also to come, identify them and target them for government programmes and schemes for them to get it and produce good results."

She urged emerging farmers of all ages to take part in agriculture with a vision aligned with the country's development goals.