18 Sep 2023
A recently started project to diversify rural livelihoods and foster resilience among 6.100 rural smallhold farming households is showing good results.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has
partnered with the Japanese government and the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform on a transformative agricultural initiative in Namibia, a USD 1.2 million (about 22 million N$) project.
Through the distribution of vital agro-inputs and strategic investments in innovative small-scale irrigation and water-saving technologies, the project aims to empower farmers to withstand the shocks of climate change and fluctuations in the economy. Farmers in four regions - Kavango West, //Kharas, Ohangwena, and Zambezi – received training and support.
Another partner is the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ).
A recent joint field trip by the FAO and the Embassy of Japan to the Kavango West region showed the positive impact the project is making in the lives of rural farmers.
The Japanese Ambassador Hisao Nishimaki said: “The project can lift vulnerable communities from the clutches of hunger and poverty, offering not only sustenance but also income-generating opportunities “.
Patrick Mukoso, a young farmer from Klein Musese and one of the project's beneficiaries, started a small garden in 2012 to sell the surplus to earn an income. He was unemployed.
Today, the garden is his livelihood and pride and joy. He sells vegetables, including onions and tomatoes to many customers.
"With the support I receive from the project, I will be able to expand my garden and diversify my produce to cater for market demands and increase my current income even more," Mukoso told the FAO delegation and the Japanese ambassador.
Brigitte Weidlich
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