{"id":314835,"date":"2022-02-21T08:33:54","date_gmt":"2022-02-21T06:33:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/informante.web.na\/?p=314835"},"modified":"2022-02-21T08:33:59","modified_gmt":"2022-02-21T06:33:59","slug":"minister-denounces-rain-repellent-asparagus-weather-station-allegations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/informante.web.na\/?p=314835","title":{"rendered":"Minister denounces \u2018rain-repellent\u2019 asparagus, weather station allegations"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Maria David<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>ASPARAGUS does not prevent rain and weather stations cannot change weather patterns, contrary to claims of protesting Etunda farmers who on Friday demanded the end of the Asparagus Project that employs 800 people who in turn sustain almost 5 000 others.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Farmers claim the Asparagus Project and the weather station there are interfering with weather patterns and keeping the rain from falling.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Minister of Agriculture Calle Schlettwein dismissed the allegations as ridiculous misinformation, saying this action might lead to job losses for hundreds of people.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Minister denounces \u2018rain-repellent\u2019 asparagus, weather station allegations\" width=\"1000\" height=\"563\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/U8bSy9i4FGE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption>MISINFORMATION: Minister of Agriculture Calle Schlettwein dismissed allegations of rain-repelling asparagus plants and weather stations as ridiculous and unfounded. Video: Maria David<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Those employed at the project feed close to 4 800 people and if the project shuts down, thousands will be affected and pushed into poverty.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It is totally unfounded and ridiculous to think the plantation itself reduces the change of rain in the region, and that the asparagus plant has a negative effect on the rain,&#8221; Schlettwein said.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>He said asparagus is a vital part of the total food value chain operating in Namibia, from planting to consumer benefit.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWeather stations are installed to study the weather pattern in any country but do not change the weather,\u201d the Minister said.<br \/>He explained that there are millions of weather stations in the world, and Namibia is no exception.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Weather stations do nothing besides measure wind, humidity, temperature and rain, and have nothing to do with a change in the weather patterns, he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere is no evidence that the equipment and weather station have anything to do with change in weather. It only continuously measures weather.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The Minister said he wished he could give all farmers a small weather station so they could see how the weather is observed.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"alignnormal\"><!-- MetaSlider 271797 not found --><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Maria David \u00a0 ASPARAGUS does not prevent rain and weather stations cannot change weather patterns, contrary to claims of protesting Etunda farmers who on Friday demanded the end of the Asparagus Project that employs 800 people who in turn sustain almost 5 000 others. \u00a0 Farmers claim the Asparagus Project and the weather station there &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":314836,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30,24],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-314835","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-environment","category-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.5 - 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