Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform Calle Schlettwein officially handed over infrastructure to the Amarika Farmers’ Cooperative in the Omusati Region on Wednesday.

Schlettwein said the ministry’s communal land development programme has invested over N.dollar 181 million in the development of infrastructure that serves about 490 000 hectares of communal land in seven regions of the country.

The seven beneficiary regions are: Omusati, Ohangwena, Kavango East, Kavango West, Zambezi, Omaheke and Otjozondjupa.

The infrastructure development included the installation of 74 boreholes; 167 kilometres of water pipelines; 877 kilometres of fencing and 20 cattle handling facilities.

He said that the infrastructure benefits farming households in the designated communal areas and provides them the opportunity to contribute to, and benefit from, the agriculture sector.

The Amarika Farmers’ Cooperative covers an area of 40 000 hectares and has 122 registered members.

Amarika’s N.dollars 23.8 million infrastructure development includes a 53-kilometre long water pipeline, six water points and 56 kilometres rangeland fencing to improve livestock management practices.

“It is hoped that the people of Amarika and the neighbouring communities will benefit from the developments,” Schlettwein said.

He added that the programme stakeholders include the German government and the European Union, and the Ngandjera Traditional Authority that made the land available.

Members of the cooperative expressed their appreciation for what was done for them.

However, they requested Government assistance to secure 50 hectares of land in the Etunda Irrigation Scheme for fodder production and to address high feed prices at a feedlot they plan to construct in the Uukwandongo village.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency