Shift to commercial farming to benefit all - Wakudumo

Kavango East governor Bonifatius Wakudumo has urged farmers to transition from subsistence farming to commercial farming for the overall benefit of the country.

This call was made during the official opening of the Namibia National Farmers Union (NNFU) elective congress in Rundu, which began this week.

“I would urge the NNFU and its members to intensify commercial farming. We need to seriously move from subsistence farming to commercial farming for the benefit of ourselves and the country at large,” Wakudumo said.

Support farmers

Wakudumo also called for the strengthening of support for farmers', highlighting that subpar road infrastructure hampers farming in the region.

“In the same vein, I would like to request that service providers support farmers. In my region as well as in neighbouring regions, road infrastructure is a major issue hampering the productivity of farming. Human-wildlife conflict is another issue. Let’s support farmers where we can."

Election fever

The governor also took the opportunity to urge members to unite once the new leadership of the organisation has been elected. Wakudumo advised the incoming leadership to prioritise the interests of its members and steer clear of self-enrichment or divisive groupings.

"Lastly, and importantly, I am aware that the election of a new governance is part of your programme for this event. Often, the election of new leadership sometimes brings conflicts if not handled well or, generally, if there is a lack of maturity in an organisation.

“I would like to urge NNFU members to be objective and think in the best interest of their members, not individual interests or groupings. Elections are everywhere, especially for membership organisations. Please accept when one does not make it and unite to work together for the interests of your members.

“There is always next time, and no one is bigger than an organisation – unity of purpose for the success of the union. I will be pleased to meet your new leadership; my office is open for cooperation,” he said.

“Please be inclusive, objective and service delivery-oriented in order to contribute to the food security and economic progress of this country. This country is in dire need of food producers, and this can be achieved if local farmers, particularly the previously disadvantaged farmers, step up to improve productivity."

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