Leeuwen plan to display farm animals

WINDHOEK – Communal farmers in the Gibeon Constituency in the Hardap Region will showcase their animals at the sixth annual Agricultural Mini-Show this month.

The show is being organised by the Leeuwen Rivier Cooperative, and will take place on August 7 at the farm Heimat just outside Gibeon.The chief organiser of the event, Jeremias Swartbooi, told Nampa on Thursday that breeding livestock such as goat rams and ewes as well as Dorper and Van Rooyen sheep will be showcased at the event.There will be a category for the exhibition of karakul pelts.Swartbooi said various experts from the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry (MAWF), including State veterinarians, have been invited to judge the quality of the animals to be showcased and to give lectures on various topics such as animal diseases and treatment as well as water and water infrastructure management. The show committee also invited officials from the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare to give presentations the existing labour laws, especially those that are of specific interest to people involved in the farming sector.Swartbooi has invited all communal farmers in the Hardap and Karas regions to attend the event, saying it is not limited to Gibeon area farmers.It’s very important that we learn from each other and from experts in order to improve the quality of our breeding stock for better income, he stressed.Small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs) are also encouraged to showcase their products such as traditional delicacies, clothes and other handmade objects, as stalls will be made available for this purpose. The show is sponsored by the MAWF, through the Namibia National Farmers’ Union. – Nampa