Many problems on resettlement farms

RESETTLED farmers in the South still face a host of problems, ranging from poor water infrastructure to poor post-settlement financial support.

A spokesman for the farmers, Ulrich Davids, complained about these problems during a meeting with Lands and Resettlement Minister Alpheus !Naruseb at Keetmanshoop on Friday.He claimed that the boreholes at some farms have dried up. According to Davids, it has been almost two years that farmers are being promised improvements to the water infrastructure at their farms. Davids said the farmers have had to sell their livestock to maintain water installations.He said the farmers have flooded Agribank with loan applications, but were told that negotiations between Agribank and the Lands Ministry had not been completed yet.He further complained about unclear demarcation of farm units, which he said contributed to conflict among resettled farmers.’In most cases the ministry does not even show people where their boundaries start and end. People do it themselves, so what can you expect?’ Davids remarked.He urged the Lands Ministry to raise funds to improve border fences at the farms. Minister !Naruseb urged farmers to use water resources for the common good of all beneficiaries. He said following an investigation into the water infrastructure problems, contractors would soon to start with repair work. !Naruseb said Government had injected N$10 million into a resettled farmers’ financial support scheme in partnership with Agribank.Agribank also pumped N$10 million into the scheme.He said only farmers who had signed lease agreements with Government were eligible to apply for loans through this scheme. luqman@namibian.com.na