![Orchards doing blooming well]()
Orchards doing blooming wellTree planting brings in copious returns The agriculture ministry's tree-planting project is doing very well and farmers have been urged to take up the challenge and produce for local consumption.
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The agriculture ministry is satisfied with the progress made by its tree-planting project that was launched in 2003 and has created hundreds of jobs.
The project's objective is to plant trees on a trial basis to assess their viability in open grasslands in the Ohangwena, Omusati, Oshana and Oshikoto regions.
Agriculture permanent secretary Percy Misika told Namibian Sun that since its inception in 2003, the project has established 56 orchards in the regions, totalling 364 hectares. These trees generated an income of N$120 400 in the 2016/17 financial year, up from N$65 993 during the previous financial year.
Misika said that in 2001 Founding President Sam Nujoma directed that the saline grasslands in these regions, known locally as 'ombuga', should be planted with appropriate tree species in order to increase tree cover in this semi-arid environment which has been traditionally used for grazing.
“The tree planting is progressing well even though the trees are reliant on regular watering and good rainfall. Over the past 15 years several orchards and woodlots were successfully established. Tree-planting activities have increased forest and vegetation cover, have produced fruit for consumption and generated government revenue,” Misika said.
In 2014/15, 13 tons of mangoes, four tons of guavas, 1.5 tons of lemons and 0.24 tons of oranges were produced, which generated N$89 423.
During 2015/16, 10 tons of mangoes, 0.72 tons of guavas, three tons of lemons and 0.6 tons of oranges were produced and N$65 993 was generated.
In the last harvest, 17.3 tons of mangoes, two tons of guavas, 5.2 tons of lemons and 0.73 tons of oranges generated N$120 405.
He said the 56 orchards have employed 199 workers.
The 60-hectare Etunda orchard is the largest with 43 contract workers and two community supervisors.
Misika said these orchards provide seed that is distributed to government nurseries.
Although there has been significant success, tree planting in arid, poor soil is not a cheap practice. It requires a lot of labour and water.
The absence of reliable water sources in the area poses a challenge and in many places they are forced to use potable water from NamWater, which comes at a high cost.
“The ministry will continue increasing the area under afforestation to ensure that tree planting activities are promoted in many parts of the country. We will develop management plans for the orchards and we plan to enter into partnerships with other institutions such as AMTA for selling and processing the fruit,” he said.
He added that the ministry would also consider entering into public-private partnerships to manage the orchards.
Lemon, mango and guava trees are suitable for the area but frost and a lack of water are limiting factors. Mangoes seem to have the best local market in northern Namibia.
The ministry also encourages individual farmers to plant more trees on their farmland and to assist with resources such as water supply infrastructure for the project to achieve its intended objectives.
The project sells fruit to the public, thus creating more jobs for vendors trading at open markets.
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