Khomas Council gets to grip with rural development

THE Khomas Regional Council started a week-long conference yesterday to discuss rural development strategies for the Khomas Region.

Only about 30 people attended yesterday’s proceedings, although 120 had been expected. Since the Department of Rural Development was moved from the Agriculture Ministry to that of Regional and Local Government in March 2005, that Ministry has taken the initiative to hold rural development conferences for all 13 regions.”The Ministry is funding these 13 conferences to the tune of N$870 000 and it is the first time such a conference has been convened for our region,” Shaningwa said.”It is imperative that we jointly define priorities and action plans for rural development in the Khomas Region.”Participants will propose development objectives and targets and how they could blend in with the national goal of Vision 2030.A background paper distributed on Monday states that Windhoek is facing problems such as crime, domestic violence, lack of shelter for squatters, poverty and HIV-AIDS.The Khomas Regional Council had to look at employment creation, such as food-for-work or cash-for-work programmes, the paper proposed.Aquaculture projects could be developed in “Khomas, it also suggested.Farm structures and land tenure patterns (in Khomas) must be adapted to the dual objectives of increasing food production and promoting a wider distribution of the benefits of agrarian progress.”The conference ends on Friday.Since the Department of Rural Development was moved from the Agriculture Ministry to that of Regional and Local Government in March 2005, that Ministry has taken the initiative to hold rural development conferences for all 13 regions.”The Ministry is funding these 13 conferences to the tune of N$870 000 and it is the first time such a conference has been convened for our region,” Shaningwa said.”It is imperative that we jointly define priorities and action plans for rural development in the Khomas Region.”Participants will propose development objectives and targets and how they could blend in with the national goal of Vision 2030.A background paper distributed on Monday states that Windhoek is facing problems such as crime, domestic violence, lack of shelter for squatters, poverty and HIV-AIDS.The Khomas Regional Council had to look at employment creation, such as food-for-work or cash-for-work programmes, the paper proposed.Aquaculture projects could be developed in “Khomas, it also suggested.Farm structures and land tenure patterns (in Khomas) must be adapted to the dual objectives of increasing food production and promoting a wider distribution of the benefits of agrarian progress.”The conference ends on Friday.