By: Loise Shiimi
Beginner banana growers are making strides in cultivating bananas without encountering significant issues.
Ndeyapo Haitembu, a beginner banana grower from the Ohangwena Region, began her cultivation trials in 2023.
She shared her experiences and successful harvest for this year with Eagle FM.
Despite the prevailing belief that bananas cannot thrive in Namibia, Haitembu chose to disregard such misconceptions and persevered with her trials, ultimately achieving a fruitful harvest.
“Throughout the entire process of growing bananas, I encountered no challenges. However, for those looking to venture into banana production, it’s crucial to ensure they are well-watered, as they require a lot of water,” she advised.
She also highlighted the rising demand for bananas, noting that several people have approached her looking to purchase the fruit.
Regarding her banana trees, she shared that she started with three seedlings which grew into six plants, all of which bore fruit this year.
“The wonderful thing about a banana tree is that even a single banana tree can yield over 1,200 bananas. I have no regrets about venturing into banana cultivation because I see the demand. This is my first harvest, and customers are continuously reaching out to me for bananas,” she stated.
Haitembu also noted that once one has banana trees, there’s minimal need to keep purchasing seedlings, as the plants naturally produce more on their own. She also shared that the key to success lies in providing adequate water and fertiliser.
“For fertiliser, I use chicken manure, and I now use cattle dung, which is working very well. To control pests, I crush chilli, mix it with dishwashing liquid, and add water,” she explained.
While numerous farmers’ crops were negatively affected by frost during the winter, Haitembu reported that her crops thrived due to her innovative method of using water-filled bottles placed beneath each plant.
“All you need to do is fill bottles with water and place them beneath the crops during the day. The bottles absorb heat from the sun, helping to keep the crops warm at night. This method has been very effective for me,” she said.
Despite her success, Haitembu acknowledged that water availability poses challenges. She mentioned having access to a nearby earth dam, but when dry, the mud becomes unsuitable for irrigation.
She called upon the government, particularly the Ministry of Agriculture, to provide education on creating organic manure and to share more information about planting techniques and plant management.
In addition to bananas, she also cultivates guava, pawpaw, lemon, tangerine, orange, and apple fruit trees..
Another banana grower, Tabitha Hamutenya, expressed similar sentiments regarding her banana trees, stating that she started with two seedlings, which have since produced ten large banana plants.
Hamutenya shared that entering banana production was one of her goals, driven by her love for the fruit and her aspiration to grow her own.
“I wasn’t sure where to begin, but my neighbour had bananas, and when I asked for seedlings, he generously provided them. All of the seedlings survived,” she noted.
She encouraged farmers not to pay attention to those who criticise Namibia’s soil quality for crop cultivation.
“I believe all crops can thrive in our soil; all we need to do is try instead of discouraging others and relying on imports from countries that successfully cultivate various crops,” she stated.
While Namibia has yet to reach a commercial level for banana production, current trials are projected to yield the first commercial banana harvest soon. This initiative is a collaboration between the Namibia Agronomic Board and Avagro.
