Staff Reporter<\/p>\n
THE revised crop estimates indicated a reduction in Namibia’s crop harvest, below last season’s harvest.<\/p>\n
Aggregate cereal estimates showed that the country is expecting a slight decrease of 1% of last season’s harvest, but 23% above the average production.<\/p>\n
This was shared by the Crop Prospects and Food Security Situation Report released by the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform who stated that some regions in the country are still in need of drought relief from government due to below average rainfall.<\/p>\n
The Executive Director (ED) of the agriculture ministry, Ndiyakupi Nghituwamata, explained that much of the crop harvest improvement comes from the commercial areas where an increase of 19% above last season’s harvest has been reported. Kavango West and Kavango East regions also recorded an improvement of 22% above last season’s harvest.<\/p>\n
Nghituwamata added that the households’ food security situation is reported to have slightly improved, following a recent main harvest since the beginning of May this year in the major crop producing regions of the country.<\/p>\n
“Elsewhere in the country, food security is satisfactory in areas where better rainfall was received. However, hotspots of food insecurity are expected in regions such as Kunene, Zambezi, north central regions and Erongo. This is due to the erratic rainfall received in those areas and the early cessation of the rainfall,” Nghituwamata said.<\/p>\n
She further advised for the government to continue with the provision of the drought relief measures to households that are faced with food insecurity in Kunene, Omusati and Erongo regions until the situation normalises, as well as to consider possible drought relief measures to the affected households in Ohangwena, Oshana, Oshikoto and some parts of Zambezi and Kavango East regions.<\/p>\n
The report also highlighted that the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform should strengthen extension services, ensure suf\ufb01cient and timely provision of agricultural inputs (seed and fertilizers) and services (ploughing and planting) for the 2022\/2023 cropping season.<\/p>\n
In addition, it was shared that the ministry also ensures water provision to the areas with limited water availability (Gam and Ovitoto settlements in Otjozondjupa region, Otamanzi constituency in Omusati region and some parts of Erongo region) and any other area that may experience water shortages, when the need arises.<\/p>\n
File photo for illustrative purposes only. Photo: thesouthernafricantimes.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Staff Reporter THE revised crop estimates indicated a reduction in Namibia’s crop harvest, below last season’s harvest. Aggregate cereal estimates showed that the country is expecting a slight decrease of 1% of last season’s harvest, but 23% above the average production. This was shared by the Crop Prospects and Food Security Situation Report released by …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":326675,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,24],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-326673","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-business","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n