INNOVATIVE farming methods in a season that saw plenty but sporadic rainfall has seen to it that Namibian commercial crop farmers brought in a record amount of maize at the end of this year’s harvest season.
In contrast, subsistence farmers in rural areas had below-average production of pearl millet, or mahangu, during the last planting and harvesting cycle as a result of giant locust swarms, mice and intermittent rainfall.
Maize production in the commercial farming areas came to a new record of 74 700 tonnes which is 45% higher than the previous season’s harvest of 51 600 tonnes and 74% above the average production of 38 500 tonnes.
“This is the biggest maize harvest ever recorded in the commercial area and this improvement is attributed to favourable crop growing conditions which have prevailed over the season causing farmers to increase planted areas,” the Crop Prospects and Food Security Situation Report produced by the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform stated.
The report further stated that it is important to note that 54% total of 74 700 tonnes was produced on farms under irrigation while the remaining 46% were dryland crops.
According to the report, most of the crop-producing areas in Namibia recorded normal to above-normal harvests despite the delayed onset of the last rainy season. Other factors that had a negative impact on the record harvest were prolonged dry spells and the scourge of giant locust swarms.
Maize production in the communal farming areas of the Zambezi, Kavango East and Kavango West regions is estimated at 11 500 tonnes, which is about 35% higher than last season’s harvest of 8 500 tonnes and 77% above the average production of 6 500 tonnes.
“Much of this improvement is from the Zambezi Region which recorded an increase of 123% above the average production and 36% over last season’s harvest,” the report states.
Mahangu production was estimated at 55 200 tonnes according to the report, which is about 39% lower than last season’s harvest of 90 800 tonnes, and 3% below the average production of 57 000 tonnes.
