Mahangu farmers brace for ‘rich’ harvest

SOME communal mahangu farmers in northern Namibia have started harvesting their abundant mahangu fields.

A bumper harvest is expected in the north, since this part of the country had good rains after the country endured a devastating drought in recent years, leaving a number of cattle dead.

Towards the end of last month, many farmers started harvesting and are now in the threshing process, after which the mahangu will be stored.

“This year, we have really had a good harvest. There is too much in my mahangu threshing field – and there is much more in the field,” said Petrus Asenane (70), a resident of Oniimwandi village in the Oshakati West constitueny in the Oshana region.

At the nearby Otuwala village in the Okatana constituency (also in the Oshana region), pensioner Petrus Shikongo (75) told they are also hoping for a good harvest at their village as there is just too much mahangu millet in their field.

He said many people at the village have also started harvesting their fields.

“There is just too much mahangu. Some have fallen off and are covered by weeds,” said Shikongo.

Much of the rain in northern Namibia fell in February till the end of March, resulting in healthy mahangu, pumpkin, sweet melon, ground nut and green bean crops. Besides the crops, pastures have improved and livestock are in good condition. Although the rains have now stopped as the country moves into winter, a number of flood plains (locally known as oshanas), swamps, lakes and traditional wells are still filled with water.