……consists of community garden, energy efficient stoves, goats and rehabilitated boreholes
By:Uakutura Kambaekua
The government has handed over the N$12 million Fransfontein project to beneficiaries after it came to fruition as part of the climate change adaptation interventionsbeing implemented by the Environmental Investment Fund (EIF) in the Kunene region.
Pohamba Shifeta, minister of environment, Forestry and Tourism last week officiated at the handover ceremony of the Fransfontein community garden, energy efficient stoves, goats and rehabilitated boreholes to beneficiaries.
The project investment has changed the food production landscape in Fransfontein, with a total of 10 community members employed and more than 1700 people as direct and indirect beneficiaries in Fransfontein area.
The community garden is 16 hectares in size and focuses on horticulture and dry-land crop production. By the end of November 2022, the project is expected to yield a good yield, with financial forecasts for the garden’s operations exceeding N$2OO OOO.
The garden has been greatly improved in terms of solar-powered electric fencing and water infrastructure, which includes the construction of a 400-cubic-metre reservoir, the rehabilitation of two boreholes to supplement the fountain, the installation of a solar plant, the installation of a drip irrigation system, and the installation of an automated weather station.
The Fransfontein residents also received 150 fuel-efficient stoves.
The project further rehabilitated nine (9) boreholes in Fransfontein area at the tune of more than two point four million (N$2.4) which is expected to promote community health and ease access to water for both human and livestock consumption.
As such about 1500 people and 10 000 livestock are expected to have access to reliable water supply infrastructure.
In addition, community members have established home-based gardens that can greatly improve their livelihoods as well as strengthen household food security.
The project has further procured 1055 goats of which 420 were distributed to 20 vulnerable farmers in 2020, and another 630 goats were handed over to 29 identified farmers in Kunene region on 31 October 2022. The total cost for this intervention is N$1.7 million.
“I therefore urge the youth of Fransfontein to proudly safeguard this investment and grab this golden opportunity to transform their livelihood,” Shifetasaid.
The project was made possible under the“Improving Rangeland and Ecosystem Management” (IREMA) programme of smallholder farmers under conditions of climate change in Sesfontein, Fransfontein, and Warmquelle areas of Namibia.
Itis funded by the Green Climate Fund through the EIF and is being implementedtogether with the ministry of agriculture, water, and land reform.
The IREMA project aims at reducing vulnerability and building the resilience of smallholder farmers to cope with the negative effects of climate change in the Kunene region.
To ensure the sustainability of the project, minister Shifeta informed that a mentorship programme has been developed for beneficiaries, agricultural extension officers, farmers associations, traditional authorities, the Kunene Regional Council representatives and other stakeholders.
He urged relevant stakeholders to re-engage youth in agriculture, notably through financial assistance, skill transfer and the transformation of subsistence farming into commercial companies.
He pointed out that the project handover is an indication that resources are reaching the intended beneficiaries. “It shows that Namibia is on track to achieve the national environmental agenda and meet her international obligations, while simultaneously achieving her objective of improving community livelihoods.”
“It is our interest as a National Designated Authority to the Green Climate Fund to see the GCF projects such as IREMA Kunene Project bearing fruits and improving community livelihoods,” minister Shifeta said. “I therefore strongly encourage the project beneficiaries and the local leadership to own these interventions. Projects of this kind are meant to boost the local economies and create sustainable job opportunities, particularly for vulnerable groups such as women, youth and marginalised communities,”he noted.
He called on the youth to participate in agriculture as a remunerative or prestigious profession, adding that they should stick around in rural areas and identify meaningful economic opportunities and attractive environments in rural areas, instead of migrating to cities.
“Our youth are faced with many hurdles in trying to earn a living. It is unfortunate that our youth do not perceive agriculture as a remunerative or prestigious profession. Unless they find meaningful economic opportunities and attractive environments in rural areas, they migrate to cities. This trend not only contributes to increasing the phenomenon of over-urbanization and unemployment in urban areas, but it also affects the national food production systems. Investing in rural youth is, therefore, key to enhancing agricultural productivity, boosting rural economies, and ensuring food security.”
Speaking on the same occasion, Kunene Governor Marius Sheya has called on the beneficiaries to put aside their differences and work collectively for the benefit of the community, while safeguarding the project for future generations.
Kunene Regional Council chairperson Hendrick Gaobaeb stated that the project has provided food security assurances and will thus benefit scores of households in the Fransfontein area while the additional boreholes will provide water to individuals with home gardens and livestock.
EIF chief project officer Karl Aribeb said the project was initiated to assist the government’s efforts in mitigating poverty in urban and rural areas. The EIF, according to Aribeb, managed to raise more than U$14 million which will be channelled to four different projects in Namibia.
The IREMA project was launched in 2018 at Warmquelle under EIF and the ministry of agriculture, water and land reform with a focus on addressing the effects of thedrought that has haunted the Kunene region over the past 10 years.
