By: Annakleta Haikera
What was once an unused piece of land at the Kavango East Governor’s Office has been transformed into a vegetable garden.
The garden is now providing employment opportunities to six young people, who are gaining agricultural skills and contributing to food security.
Kavango East Governor Hamunyera Hambyuka said the initiative, known as the Governor’s Garden, was established after officials identified unused space at his office.
The initial plan was to plant grass (lawn) and turn the area into a recreational space for visitors and staff. However, Hambyuka said he decided that the land could serve a more meaningful purpose by producing food and creating opportunities for unemployed youth.
Six unemployed young people were selected to start and manage the garden, with training they received through the Office of the President helping them acquire the skills needed to run the project.
The garden currently produces vegetables such as cabbage, onions, beetroot, spinach and carrots.
Hambyuka said the idea was also inspired by maize gardens he observed around Rundu, where residents had turned small and previously unused spaces around their homes into productive gardens.
“We realised that instead of leaving the land unused, we could use it to produce food and also give young people something productive to do,” Hambyuka said.
He said the Governor’s Garden is intended to demonstrate to communities that available land should not remain unused when it can contribute to food production and household livelihoods.
Hambyuka further encouraged residents to make better use of available land, saying gardening can help households reduce the money spent on vegetables while also creating opportunities for income generation.
“Land should not just be there doing nothing when it can produce food, reduce the money families spend on vegetables and create livelihoods,” he said.
He said the initiative could also serve as a platform for unemployed young people to gain practical skills and eventually become self-employed through agriculture.
Hambyuka said plans are underway to secure a larger piece of land from either traditional or local authorities to expand the gardening initiative.
He said expanding the project could create opportunities for more young people to participate in agriculture, increase vegetable production and contribute to food security in the Kavango East Region.
Hambyuka also encouraged community members interested in starting their own gardens to seek guidance from the young people and officials involved in the Governor’s Garden.
He said those managing the initiative are willing to share their knowledge and assist residents who want to establish similar projects in their communities.
Hambyuka said the ultimate goal is to see more households and young people across Kavango East embrace agriculture not only as a means of producing food, but also as a pathway towards self-employment, improved household incomes and stronger community food security.
For the young people involved, the garden has already provided an opportunity to turn unemployment into a chance to learn and work.
Hileni Akim, one of the young people working on the project, said the initiative had changed her perception of unemployment and agriculture.
“We are learning that you do not always need a big piece of land to start something.
Even a small space can produce food and become a source of income. We are grateful for the opportunity because we are gaining skills that we can use even after this project,” Akim said.
Another participant said the project had given them hope of becoming self-employed.
“Being unemployed can make you feel like you have no options, but this garden has shown us that agriculture can be a business. We want to learn more, expand and eventually start our own gardens so that we can employ ourselves and help our families,” the youth said.
The Governor’s Garden comes against the backdrop of high youth unemployment in Kavango East. According to the Namibia Statistics Agency’s 2023 Population and Housing Census Labour Force Report, the region recorded a 60.4% youth unemployment rate, compared with a national youth unemployment rate of 44.4%.
Unemployment is particularly high in some constituencies. Ndiyona recorded youth unemployment of 73%, Mukwe 72%, and Rundu Rural 71%, according to census figures.
The broader unemployment situation is also a major concern, with 52% of the working-age population in Kavango East recorded as unemployed in 2023.
The regional government has been pursuing various youth empowerment interventions, including skills training and financial support aimed at helping young people enter the labour market or establish their own businesses.
