Mangetti farmers committed to feeding the nation The newly elected leaders of the Mangetti Farmers’ Association in the Oshikoto Region are committed to uniting farmers in order to produce food for the nation. This is according to the new chairperson of the Mangetti Farmers’ Association (MFA), Ismael Shailemo.
“We as the Mangetti farmers, united in purpose, are committed to feeding this nation. We have challenging responsibilities of contributing to the economic and sustainable agricultural development of Namibia in line with the Harambee Prosperity Plan,” Shailemo said.
Shailemo called on farmers to be united in order to improve the quality and increase the population of livestock in the region.
“We see ourselves as providers of meat, milk and dairy products and feed. We support our people at schools, hospitals and shops in the regions,” he said.
He added that the MFA is working closely with the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry and the Ministry of Lands and Resettlement as part of meeting the government halfway in eradicating poverty.
It was announced recently that the government had allocated N$20 million to the Mangetti farming area to develop the communal area into small-scale commercial farms.
Shailemo said the money will be used for the intended purpose to benefit the farmers such as setting up boreholes and fences.
“The money will benefit many of our members,” Shailemo said.
Shailemo was unanimously elected as chairperson of the MFA on 13 August after the other candidate, Shali Kamati, withdrew at the last minute.
However, Kamati was recently quoted in a newspaper as saying that he did not accept the election and would continue serving as chairperson of a rival faction of the association.
When asked about the split, Shailemo said Kamati and his supporters are free to do what they want as long as it’s not done under the name MFA.
“He is free to make his own association, all we want is for him not to use the Mangetti Farmers’ Association’s name,” he said.
KENYA KAMBOWE