The head of rural water supply in the Oshikoto Region, Stevenson Tuukondjele, has said people are becoming increasingly agitated over a lack of access to water and insulting them when visiting the ministry offices due to these challenges.

Tuukondjele said in an interview with Nampa on Tuesday that several people from Eengodi, Okankolo, Nehale Lyampingana, and some Omuthiya areas have a tendency to approach their offices and insult them because of the ongoing water scarcity.

In response to mounting concerns over the state of the livestock sector in the country, particularly in the Northern Communal Areas (NCA), the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Economics and Public Administration has initiated a series of oversight visits. 

The visits are scheduled to take place from the 12th to the 24th of this month.

The committee will investigate the condition of quarantine farms, camps, facilities, and abattoirs in the NCAs and propose actionable recommendations.

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. 

The upgrade of a five-kilometre water pipeline near Henties Bay is expected to start soon, following the awarding of a N$15 million tender to a local company.

The pipeline ferries water from the Omdel acquifier at the Omaruru river mouth to ensure water supply at Hentiesbay.

Erongo Governor Neville Andre says the multi-million-dollar upgrade shows the government's commitment to service delivery despite challenges like a sparsely populated country.

Residents of Oikuku and Ohamukwata villages in the Ohangwena Region now have access to potable water after three decades of waiting.

The project is being carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform and the Office of the Prime Minister at a cost of N$3.6 million.

Ohangwena Governor Sebastian Ndeitunga urged beneficiaries to use water wisely and guard against vandalism.

The borehole can supply water to seven water points, cutting the long distances villagers had to travel in search of water.

Leaders in the Omaheke Region have advised the Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform to revise the resettlement qualifying criteria in the Resettlement Policy. 

The leaders are of the view that the criteria fall short of addressing the pressing need for resettlement for agricultural purposes.

Kalahari Constituency Councillor Iganatius Kariseb said although the policy has been adopted by the Cabinet, it is not addressing the issue of fencing land that will continue to affect vulnerable groups in the region.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform's (MAWLR) head of rural water supply and sanitation in Oshikoto, Stevenson Tuukondjele, said that by the look of things, they might experience water crises worse than last year.

Tuukondjele said that residents of the Eengodi, Okankolo, and Nehale lyaMpingana constituencies in the Oshikoto Region might experience a more serious water crisis this year compared to the one they experienced last year.

The Resettlement Policy should aim to improve the lives of landless or disadvantaged Namibians and be inclusive, irrespective of people's economic and social status.

These were the sentiments of the Popular Democratic Movement's (PDM) Diederik Vries in his contribution to the National Resettlement Policy under the Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform.

The general eligibility criteria for potential beneficiaries of resettlement is the requirement to have resource ownership and access to capital.

Green hydrogen has made a significant impact in Namibia, and the results of investments made towards this ambitious project can already be seen.

These were the sentiments expressed by the Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Technology, and Innovation, Natalia |Goagoses, at the Green Hydrogen Symposium.

Since 2022, over 180 students have benefited from the Namibia Youth for Green Hydrogen Scholarship Programme.

The programme, which is fully funded, is a collaborative effort between the German and Namibian governments. 

The Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform has released the findings of an investigation into the mass mortalities of cattle in the Zambezi Region’s Kabe South constituency between June and November last year.

585 cattle, most of them old, pregnant, lactating, or young, died at 23 homesteads and 12 crush pen areas by the end of October.

Over 80% of the cattle visited were found to be in poor bodily condition at the time of the investigation, and poor grazing pastures were observed in most areas visited.