Farmers urged to venture into horticulture
Farmers lack basic training in upscaling their produce in terms of quality and growing produce in line with what the market requires.
Agro-Marketing and Trade Agency (AMTA) markets and business development manager, Gervasius Thikusho has said the //Kharas Region has the capacity to venture into both horticulture and poultry production.
This follows a visit by AMTA to Berseba, Koës, Oranjemund and Lüderitz and surrounding areas last week to register farmers and set up a database on the number of farmers the region has and what they are producing.
“Famers in all places AMTA visited showed an interest in growing horticultural produce and venturing into poultry production,” Tikusho said.
He added that farmers lack basic training in upscaling their produce in terms of quality and growing produce in line with what the market requires as the region is able to produce various types of produce such as grapes, dates, tomatoes, onions, butternut and watermelon, among others.
“In terms of poultry, the region has shown a very strong presence of venturing into poultry farming, but this is because the region is dominantly a livestock region and hence farmers may further perhaps tend to venture into something that they are traditionally accustomed to. Now that we are coming on board, AMTA will be an off-take of both broilers and layer products. We encourage farmers to venture into poultry,” he said.
Thikusho further said farmers also face water scarcity in some areas, lack of markets to market their produce, and lack of agricultural information.
“Farmers stressed that there are no marketing linkages in the region and that is one of the reasons why we decided to visit the region and establish the business viability, and to look into setting up a distribution centre for farmers and government offices, ministries and agencies (OMAs),” said Thikusho.
AMTA and the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform will organise farmers to establish supply base capacity and eventually link these farmers to the OMAs, he said. - Nampa
This follows a visit by AMTA to Berseba, Koës, Oranjemund and Lüderitz and surrounding areas last week to register farmers and set up a database on the number of farmers the region has and what they are producing.
“Famers in all places AMTA visited showed an interest in growing horticultural produce and venturing into poultry production,” Tikusho said.
He added that farmers lack basic training in upscaling their produce in terms of quality and growing produce in line with what the market requires as the region is able to produce various types of produce such as grapes, dates, tomatoes, onions, butternut and watermelon, among others.
“In terms of poultry, the region has shown a very strong presence of venturing into poultry farming, but this is because the region is dominantly a livestock region and hence farmers may further perhaps tend to venture into something that they are traditionally accustomed to. Now that we are coming on board, AMTA will be an off-take of both broilers and layer products. We encourage farmers to venture into poultry,” he said.
Thikusho further said farmers also face water scarcity in some areas, lack of markets to market their produce, and lack of agricultural information.
“Farmers stressed that there are no marketing linkages in the region and that is one of the reasons why we decided to visit the region and establish the business viability, and to look into setting up a distribution centre for farmers and government offices, ministries and agencies (OMAs),” said Thikusho.
AMTA and the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform will organise farmers to establish supply base capacity and eventually link these farmers to the OMAs, he said. - Nampa
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