Nearly 2 500 farmers benefit from Operation Katemo

NKURENKURU, 09 MAY  – Over 2 300 farmers benefited from the seed subsidy while 172 benefited from the fertiliser subsidy under Operation Katemo, Governor of the Kavango West Region, Sirkka Ausiku has announced.

Ausiku said this when she delivered her annual State of the Region Address (SORA) here on Tuesday.
Operation Katemo was launched on 26 October 2017 to create awareness amongst the inhabitants of the region on the agricultural opportunities available in Kavango West, as well as the importance of food production for every household and what it would mean for the entire region.

Ausiku said 450 farmers also benefited from ploughing services for a total of 960 hectares out of the 2 000 targeted under the operation.
She added that although the operation could not reach its target of ploughing 2 000 hectares due to lack of tractors, the area covered was sufficient, noting:

“The region is positive that with good rains received this year, the 960 hectares cultivated will yield good harvest.”
Operation Katemo complements the dry land crop production programme under the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry meant to increase food production through the provision of agricultural services to farmers to improve food security per household and the nation at large.

The Kavango West Region, Ausiku expressed, is also looking forward to the implementation of the Extensive Agricultural Mechanisation and Seed Improvement Programme as highlighted during the State of the Nation Address (SONA).
The programme will create employment for youth and women in her region, she boasted.
On the small stock distribution and development programme in communal areas, Ausiku informed the gathering that the programme has been progressing well since last year.
She highlighted that from the initial 420 goats distributed to 20 households, the number in the revolving pool now stands at 845 goats.
With this number, 10 more households will benefit from the programme this year, where each household will receive 21 goats, she stated.
Close to 100 residents attended the Kavango West SORA, including Chairperson of the Kavango West Regional Council Joseph Sivaku, regional councillors, traditional authorities, and heads of various offices, ministries and agencies.
NAMPA