‘The Namibian’ reporter scoops top agricultural award

Veteran agriculture reporter Matthew Dlamini scooped the Agra Media Personality of the Year Award at the 77th annual Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU) congress held in Windhoek on 4 October.

This was in recognition of Dlamini’s efforts to raise awareness of agricultural issues in the country.

According to a certificate signed by outgoing NAU president Piet Gouws and chief executive Roelie Venter, the NAU congratulates Dlamini for his “exemplary awareness creation of the agricultural sector”.

He was presented the award by Trudy Howard of Agra, which sponsored the prize.

The award was part of several prizes presented, ranging from ‘agristar’ to agricultural woman of the year, community project of the year, and media personality of the year.

“None of the winners could have achieved this if they had operated in isolation.

“Each had a vision, calling or dream, and I am sure none of them did it with the expectation of recognition, but to serve, to make the environment a better place and to empower people with information,” Gouws said.

Dlamini is a seasoned reporter having started off in Zimbabwe at The Chronicle, before coming to Namibia where he joined Windhoek Observer as a subeditor in 2009.

In 2013 he joined The Namibian as a subeditor before moving to work as a freelance reporter for the same publication.

The Namibian news editor Ashley Smith says: “We congratulate Dlamini on his achievement and know that he will continue exemplifying journalistic excellence.”

Iris Stehn of farm Smalhoek Nina FA scooped the Agricultural Woman of the Year Award, which was sponsored by Old Mutual.

She has been the farmers’ association secretary for 15 years, and a convener and coordinator of firefighting actions on radio channels, WhatsApp groups and by phone.

Stehn is involved in all operational matters on their farm, and is a beekeeper.

She is always willing to help with advice and action when it comes to sick animals on farms, Gouws says.

Stehn cares for people, animals and the community.

She prefers to stay in the background, but her activities are in the foreground with accuracy, sincerity and reliability, he says.

She is also a member of the Sauma group and has organised a prickley pear information day on the farm.

The Grootfontein-Tsumeb-Otavi region nominated Linda Pretorius’ soup kitchen project for the Community Project of the Year Award.
The award was sponsored by Feedmaster.

For the past 23 years, Pretorious’ soup kitchen has been providing food to children in the area for five days a week.

The number of children who are fed in this way has grown from a mere 44 to about 1 300 per day.

A wide variety of farmers support the kitchen, as well as local people and business people from the surrounding towns.

Nine San families, with a total of 52 children, as well as the elderly are also provided with food.

Pretorius is partially supported by two international organisations, but has also founded her own Hearts, Hands and Voices Trust to be able to receive contributions.