NEWS - AGRICULTURE
| 2013-08-06Erongo farms struggle with water shortage
Clemans Miyanicwe
ABOUT 20 farms in Daures Constituency, Erongo Region, are struggling with water supply after wells went dry.
Some of the farmers have been writing letters to the constituency councillor, Ernst Katjiku, alerting him to the dry situation on the farms.
Daures constituency councillor, Ernst Katjiku, admitted to The Namibian that there are some farms in the area that have had no water for quite some time.
Katjiku said although some farms are dry, others have water but their problems are being caused by aging infrastructure. He added that there are cases where farms have water but it’s not for human consumption.
The councillor, however, said some of the farms have been listed as beneficiaries of the Namibian-German Special Initiative Programme (NGSIP) which intends to fund the drilling of boreholes in the constituency.
“The NGSIP will assist them but my office doesn’t even know when the work will commence,” Katjiku said. One of the affected farmers, Siegfried //Geiseb of Post Number 54 of Kudubis, about 45 kilometres outside Usakos said all the surrounding farms are struggling with water problems.
In his case, //Geiseb said their water problem has been going on for the past 15 years even after he spent N$3 000 three years ago to rehabilitate his well. “We take our livestock to Post 3 about eight kilometres from our farm every day to get water,” //Geiseb said.
He also said the water at Post 3 is not suitable for human consumption and farmers, therefore, have to travel another eight kilometres to Tsourob to collect water.
“This water problem discourages farmers like us. We try everything possible and hope the problem will be solved,” said //Geiseb.
NGSIP communications advisor, Martin Tjituka, said a landmark N$47 million water supply project will be implemented in 12 constituencies since the tenders have already been awarded. Tjituka said NGSIP has already undertaken 40 borehole rehabilitation projects in the first phase with a further 80 boreholes expected to be rehabilitated in the second phase.
Some of the farmers have been writing letters to the constituency councillor, Ernst Katjiku, alerting him to the dry situation on the farms.
Daures constituency councillor, Ernst Katjiku, admitted to The Namibian that there are some farms in the area that have had no water for quite some time.
Katjiku said although some farms are dry, others have water but their problems are being caused by aging infrastructure. He added that there are cases where farms have water but it’s not for human consumption.
The councillor, however, said some of the farms have been listed as beneficiaries of the Namibian-German Special Initiative Programme (NGSIP) which intends to fund the drilling of boreholes in the constituency.
“The NGSIP will assist them but my office doesn’t even know when the work will commence,” Katjiku said. One of the affected farmers, Siegfried //Geiseb of Post Number 54 of Kudubis, about 45 kilometres outside Usakos said all the surrounding farms are struggling with water problems.
In his case, //Geiseb said their water problem has been going on for the past 15 years even after he spent N$3 000 three years ago to rehabilitate his well. “We take our livestock to Post 3 about eight kilometres from our farm every day to get water,” //Geiseb said.
He also said the water at Post 3 is not suitable for human consumption and farmers, therefore, have to travel another eight kilometres to Tsourob to collect water.
“This water problem discourages farmers like us. We try everything possible and hope the problem will be solved,” said //Geiseb.
NGSIP communications advisor, Martin Tjituka, said a landmark N$47 million water supply project will be implemented in 12 constituencies since the tenders have already been awarded. Tjituka said NGSIP has already undertaken 40 borehole rehabilitation projects in the first phase with a further 80 boreholes expected to be rehabilitated in the second phase.
Comments
