Africa-Press – Namibia. SOME small-scale farmers at the Ndonga Linena Green Scheme Irrigation Project in the Kavango East region fear this year’s planting season will be affected and they will lose what they invested, if damaged pivots are not repaired on time.
This comes after five centre pivots, irrigation pipes and sprinklers at the green scheme were destroyed by a rainstorm recently. One of the farmers, Andreas Kashekele, says he is about to lose N$60 000 worth of produce if the pivots are not repaired soon.
Kashekele has planted maize, butternut and watermelon on half of his 2,5 hectare piece of land. “Without these centre pivots, it is going to be difficult for us because these types of crops cannot survive from rainfall only.
We use the pivot system to fertilise our soil. Without it it’s even going to be harder to apply fertilisers and pesticides. It is going to be a challenge if the maize won’t grow,” says Kashekele.
Ignatius Hamupembe says he had planned to plant onions and maize on his allocated piece of land, but things didn’t look promising after the pivots were damaged.
He says if the pivots are not repaired on time, it will be difficult for him and other farmers, especially those who have crops in their fields, since they depend on farming for their livelihoods.
“We also live in fear that Nored can also switch off anytime because we won’t have money to pay for the monthly electricity we use to pump water for irrigation,” says Hamupembe, who has been farming at the project since 2010.
The project spends about N$180 000 on electricity every month. Hamupembe says the project’s management promised to repair the pivots, but has not provided any updates when this will be done.
Another farmer, who prefers anonymity, says he is disturbed because he spent a lot of money to cultivate his land and is about to lose crops worth between N$50 000 and N$60 000 if the situation is not sorted out promptly.
When contacted for comment, Ndonga Linena project manager Yani Pinto Renter told The Namibian that only two farmers have been affected, and quotations have been aquired to determine the cost of repairing the pivots.
“You know government processes take long but we are speeding it up,” says Renter.
He says submission was sent to their finance department for approval by the board, since the scheme does not have the budget to repair the damaged infrastructure. He adds that the submission has since been approved.
“We are lucky, we are receiving rain every day and it’s not an emergency at this stage. Some farmers need to fertilise now but they can use the boom sprayer. I think by next week they will be operational again,” Renter says.
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