THE recent good rains have brought hopes of a good harvest to mahangu farmers in the northern parts of Namibia.
The good rains have resulted in many communal farmers having thriving mahangu crops, some of which have already reached maturity.
Apart from mahangu, other crops such as pumpkins, butternuts, sweet-melons, groundnuts and green beans have also grown well and are nearly ready for harvest.
“This year we are going to have a bumper mahangu harvest. Apart from mahangu, vegetables such as beans and pumpkins are looking good,” Jafet Uudhila, a resident of Okamule village at Oshakati West constituency in Oshana region said on Saturday.
Besides the crops, pastures have also improved and livestock conditions are improving.
Many farmers are now done with weeding to reduce competition for nutrients the mahangu and other crops.
A number flood plains are full of water and locals are fishing in them. Water birds can also be spotted in flood plains with the cattle egrets the dominant ones.
“This year we received good rainfall and it is continuing,” said Junias Paskalis, a resident of Otuwala village at Okatana constituency in Oshana region.
He said although the rain has come a bit late, it has helped people to cultivate their fields, and seen the condition of livestock improve.
In recent years Namibia experienced severe drought and a many communal farmers lost livestock as a result.
Kleopas Mwatelefu, a resident of Othingo village at Oshakati West constituency, said he is also hopeful that good rains are a pointer to a good harvest this year.
