The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform will service and repair more than 500 tractors across the country ahead of the 2026/27 ploughing season.
Acting executive director Patrus-Canicius Nangolo says 508 tractors have been identified for servicing and repairs.
Of these, 385 require minor servicing and 112 need major repairs.
Nangolo said the ministry expects to spend about N$8 million on the programme, which will run until 31 August.
“The first intervention involves the nationwide servicing and repair of the ministry’s tractor fleet,” Nangolo says.
He says the tractors and agricultural implements will be serviced at agricultural development centres across the country.
He adds that those requiring major repairs will, where necessary, be taken to the ministry’s agricultural technology centres in Ongwediva and Rundu.
Nangolo says the N$8 million will cover service parts, fuel, transport and other costs associated with the programme.
The work forms part of the ministry’s preparations for the rain-fed cropping season, which will run from 1 October to 31 March 2027.
The programme will also create employment and training opportunities for young people.
Nangolo says 15 young graduate artisans will be employed on one-year contracts at agricultural technology centres, while 45 trainees from vocational training centres will work as assistant artisans to gain practical experience.
The ministry is also making agricultural machinery and equipment available to eligible farmers at subsidised prices.
The equipment includes hand-operated seedling transplanters, jab seed drills, walking tractors and their implements, and hand-operated weeding cultivators.
Other equipment includes knapsack sprayers, diesel chipper hammer mills, veterinary cold-chain and drug kits, and animal weighing scales.
“The nationwide servicing and repair intervention is expected to cover the procurement of service parts, fuel, transport and other logistical arrangements necessary to ensure the successful implementation of the programme,” says Nangolo.
Nangolo says farmers will only be allowed to buy machinery and equipment available in their respective regions.
“The interventions are aimed at ensuring farmers have access to working tractors and agricultural equipment ahead of the ploughing season and improving food production in the country.”
