Maria David
ANTICIPATING a season of plentiful harvest, farmers in the northern region of the country are actively preparing and ploughing their fields, thanks to the ongoing favourable rainfall. In addition to tractors, many farmers utilize their cattle as a valuable ploughing resource during the planting season.
Willem Amutenya, a member of the Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) who has been actively involved in preparing his field at Okongo in the Ohangwena Region, is urging people to commence work in their fields. According to Amutenya, a society’s sustenance relies heavily on farmers, and by taking care of them, the issue of food security can be effectively addressed in the country.
He emphasized that the primary goal of cultivation is to ensure food security locally, reducing the need for importing essential food items that can be produced within the country. Amutenya pointed out that focusing on producing food at the household level contributes significantly to addressing food security concerns.
“We cannot always buy mahangu that we can produce as a country,” he said. Amutenya stressed that if everyone plays a role in producing and providing for their families, the need for drought relief programs may decrease, except in cases of climate change impacts.
Encouraging the youth to prioritize agriculture, considering that about 70% of the population depends on it, Amutenya called on traditional authorities to allocate land to young individuals for farming purposes. He believes that many young people are capable of contributing to the agricultural sector if given the opportunity.
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