The Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform Ministry will soon refer to Cabinet a proposal to construct a second desalination plant at the coast.

Agriculture Minister Carl Schlettwein says NamWater will collaborate with Swakop Uranium Mine in setting up the coastal plant.

Schlettwein revealed that the feasibility studies for the second seawater desalination plant have been completed and the proposal is in its final stages.

Chinese-owned Swakop Uranium Mine has shown interest in financing the project.

Vice President Netumbo Nandi Ndaitwah has inaugurated a 20-hectare crop and vegetable community garden in Outjo that is to be a key player in the agricultural sector in the Kunene Region, amidst the challenges of drought spells and food insecurity at household levels.

Initiated in August 2019, with the first production only taking place in January this year, the N$5 million-valued Harambe-Oyetu community garden will be operating on a commercial basis under the terms of the Green Scheme Policy.

Despite challenges such as limited resources and unfavourable weather patterns, crop farmers in the Omaheke Region are making some strides in producing enough produce for markets.

Farmers held their annual Crop Farmers Day at Farm Du Plessis in the Okorukambe Constituency.

Omaheke Crop Farmers Day Chairperson Ratonda Katjivikua pointed out that the region has been known as a cattle country, but crop farmers have since incorporated crop farming for both consumption and the markets.

With less potato production in Namibia, the National Youth Service in Rietfontein is proud to produce and sell its first harvest of potatoes to the public.

In 2021, NYS received funding from the Namibia Training Authority, through capacity-building grants, for the institution to carry out its mandate of empowering youth with skills and generating income.

One production owing its existence to the funding is potato production, with potatoes cultivated via a centre pivot irrigation system.

Kavango West regional leadership has called on the Disaster Risk Management Committee to look into the drought relief programme for livestock, as it disadvantages some communal farmers.

This leadership raised this during the visit of Deputy Prime Minister John Mutorwa to the region to familiarise himself with the drought relief programme on the regional level. 

The subsidy programme started last year in October, where the government would compensate 50% of the animal feed that the farmer purchases. 

The Deputy Prime Minister, John Mutorwa, is pleased with the drought relief food distribution in the Kavango West Region.

Mutorwa embarked on a visit to all 14 regions to assess the distribution of drought relief aid. 

The Kavango West Region has eight constituencies with more than 27,000 people registered for drought assistance.

Only 2,000 households are benefiting from the programme. 

Four privately owned trucks distribute the food aid from one warehouse in the Kavango West region.

The Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Belgium's Lignaverda Reforestation Cooperation Project.

The Lignaverda Reforestation Cooperation Project is involved in reforesting semi-arid areas at risk of land degradation and desertification.

Its approach includes the active involvement of communities in sustainable forest management practices to coordinate forest protection and valorisation of grass, crops, and non-timber forest products.

36 cattle belonging to a farmer in the Zambezi Region have been recovered from Zambia after they were stolen while grazing about three weeks ago. 

A total of 42 cattle were taken, while 36 have been returned and six remain missing, although authorities believe that they may have been sold along the way after being taken from Namibia.

Vice President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has hailed the potential of agriculture to empower Namibians and reiterated the significance of self-sufficiency.

Nandi-Ndaitwah on Friday toured the Roots Agriculture Village at Stampriet in the Hardap Region.

The Roots Agricultural Village is based on a unique model that combines intensive farming of livestock and permanent crops with an agricultural college for education in food security, a retirement village, and a lifestyle village.

A newly released report by the Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform has recommended that the government declare a drought a national emergency.

This follows the effects of drought findings across the country due to low rainfall.

The assessment was conducted in the seven major northern communal drop-producing regions between February 12 and March 11 this year. 

Maize, millet, sorghum, and wheat are estimated to be 53% lower than the last season's harvest.