Communal farmers benefit from livestock improvement programme

THE Ministry of Agriculture is encouraging communal farmers to make use of its animal improvement programme, which was promoted at the annual Windhoek Agricultural and Industrial Show last week.

The Ministry’s liaison officer, Elizabeth Amagola, told Nampa that farmers are invited to use the programme, which includes providing stud animals to communal farmers. “The programme was designed with the aim to assist livestock farmers in communal areas to improve the quality of their herds, thus improving food security and creating wealth by generating income through the selling of such high-quality livestock,” said Amagola.”Communal farmers are given bulls and rams to improve their herds as long as they meet the criteria required and pass through the selection process, which is done by a Regional Selection Committee.”According to Amagola, individual farmers or a group of farmers can apply at the Ministry’s regional offices.”Applicants should have at least 10 cows or 20 ewes as well as sufficient grazing and good infrastructure and they are also required to attend training in basic livestock and rangeland management practices.They should also be able to transport their breeding males from the nearest government farm to their homesteads,” said Amagola.The Windhoek Agricultural and Industrial Show ended on Saturday.- Nampa”The programme was designed with the aim to assist livestock farmers in communal areas to improve the quality of their herds, thus improving food security and creating wealth by generating income through the selling of such high-quality livestock,” said Amagola.”Communal farmers are given bulls and rams to improve their herds as long as they meet the criteria required and pass through the selection process, which is done by a Regional Selection Committee.”According to Amagola, individual farmers or a group of farmers can apply at the Ministry’s regional offices.”Applicants should have at least 10 cows or 20 ewes as well as sufficient grazing and good infrastructure and they are also required to attend training in basic livestock and rangeland management practices.They should also be able to transport their breeding males from the nearest government farm to their homesteads,” said Amagola.The Windhoek Agricultural and Industrial Show ended on Saturday. – Nampa