Mahangu farmers receive awards

ONGWEDIVA – Imelda Tapiso from the Caprivi Region is the overall winner of the fifth edition of the Namibian Agronomic Board’s (NAB) annual Mahangu Champion Farmer competition.

Agriculture Minister Dr Nickey Iyambo crowned Tapiso and other regional winners during the Mahangu Champion Farmer awards ceremony, which took place at the Ongwediva Trade Fair Centre on Wednesday evening. As the champion, Tapiso was awarded a floating trophy, a certificate, a 50 kg bag of mahangu seed, a mahangu pre-cleaner machine, a mahangu silo and a cash prize.Other farmers were named as the regional winners from their mahangu-producing regions of Oshana, Ohangwena, Omusati, Oshikoto, Kavango and Tsumkwe in the Otjozondjupa region.These regional winners are Sarah Zungu (Tsumkwe), Ester Elias (Omusati), Josephine Sakeus (Oshana), Paulus Siwogedi (Kavango), Maria Alfeus (Oshikoto), Ester Nepando (Ohangwena) and Edward Haukongo (Omusati).Each of them received a mahangu silo, a 50 kg bag of mahangu seed, a cash prize and a certificate.It was a history in making for the two women from the marginalised San community, namely Zungu and Nepando, to participate in the Mahangu Champion Farmer event and emerge as regional winners.Speaking at the event, Iyambo said the farmers were awarded prizes for their hard work through applying improved technology to produce enough mahangu for home consumption and the market.Iyambo used the same platform to inform the farmers about the milestone of gazetting mahangu as a controlled crop under the Namibian Agronomic Act like maize and wheat.According to Iyambo, the Government has decided to declare mahangu a controlled crop and, as such, in the future no imports of mahangu will be allowed until the locally produced mahangu is exhausted.Agribank spent about N$13 000 on the mahangu silos which were awarded to the winners at the event.NampaAs the champion, Tapiso was awarded a floating trophy, a certificate, a 50 kg bag of mahangu seed, a mahangu pre-cleaner machine, a mahangu silo and a cash prize.Other farmers were named as the regional winners from their mahangu-producing regions of Oshana, Ohangwena, Omusati, Oshikoto, Kavango and Tsumkwe in the Otjozondjupa region.These regional winners are Sarah Zungu (Tsumkwe), Ester Elias (Omusati), Josephine Sakeus (Oshana), Paulus Siwogedi (Kavango), Maria Alfeus (Oshikoto), Ester Nepando (Ohangwena) and Edward Haukongo (Omusati).Each of them received a mahangu silo, a 50 kg bag of mahangu seed, a cash prize and a certificate.It was a history in making for the two women from the marginalised San community, namely Zungu and Nepando, to participate in the Mahangu Champion Farmer event and emerge as regional winners.Speaking at the event, Iyambo said the farmers were awarded prizes for their hard work through applying improved technology to produce enough mahangu for home consumption and the market.Iyambo used the same platform to inform the farmers about the milestone of gazetting mahangu as a controlled crop under the Namibian Agronomic Act like maize and wheat.According to Iyambo, the Government has decided to declare mahangu a controlled crop and, as such, in the future no imports of mahangu will be allowed until the locally produced mahangu is exhausted.Agribank spent about N$13 000 on the mahangu silos which were awarded to the winners at the event.Nampa