Gert Jacobie
FARMERS at the Hardap Irrigation Scheme this week signed an agreement between themselves and the water authorities controlling the dam’s supply for the agriculturists to only irrigate 25% of their fields.
This arrangement will continue until November this year, by which time it will be survival or go bust for many of the farmers. At the time of signing the agreement on Monday, the Hardap Dam measured at 13% of its capacity.
If by November, at the beginning of the next rainy season, no further inflow was experienced at the dam, all crops will have to wither and die, and no further production of any crops will be forthcoming from the scheme.
Farmers whom Informanté spoke to said Hardap Irrigation Scheme is a major supplier of lucerne, corn, fodder, other corn products, fruits, and grapes to the national food basket. If and when irrigation stops, Namibia will be staring down the barrel.
Hardap also houses the largest dairy farm in Namibia, which in itself spells major difficulties for the entire country in the coming months, they said. The fact is that what is not produced in terms of dairy at Hardap will have to be imported as production replacement.
Namibia is already suffering from a lack of fodder imports from South Africa and other SADC countries, as a result of the region-wide poor rains, or restrictions on import regulations.
Notably, South Africa is restricting fodder and grain imports due to foot-and-mouth issues.
In a different development at Hardap, a number of farmers saw an opportunity to address the ever-present problem of reed infestation along the flowway beneath the dam’s sluices and in canals. Long-standing studies proved that the delivery capacity of irrigation water stands to be improved in the event that the reed problem is opportunistically addressed now that water scarcity is experienced.
Money for chemicals was collected from farmers and institutions, and drones were readied for the task.
“However, somebody got it into his head to first ask the Ministry of Agriculture and Water for permission to advance the project. The minister immediately shot down our initiative, insisting on an environmental clearance plan, as pesticides will have to be used. We have used it for a long time, but now research has to be done. Insurance companies are also in on this debate,” said one farmer.
Fighting the reeds can only be effectively done in an optimum window of time, and an environmental study might spoil the opportunity.
“We are in a dire situation here, and it seems the minister is determined to make things as difficult as possible for us, or at least he is not making it any easier for us,” he said.
