Floods Put Damper on Rice Production

Heavy rains and subsequent flooding in the north have spared no one including aspiring rice producers from the Omusati region.

This emerged during a recent rice producer field day at Ogongo Agriculture College (OAC) where farmers, agriculture extension officers from the Omusati and Caprivi regions, traditional leaders, officials from the Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources of the University of Namibia and visitors from Nagoja School of Bio-agricultural Science in Japan came together to share technical know-how and skills related to rice farming.

One of the successful rice farmers from Oshiteyatemo village in Okalongo Constituency, Rauna Kleopas told the gathering that unlike the previous years when she used to have a bumper harvest, it is a different story this year due to heavy rains and flooding.

Her field got flooded immediately after planting in January. Heavy rains and flooding have spoiled almost every rice farmer's envisaged full-scale rice production under the technical supervision of the extension officers from the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry and lecturers from Ogongo Agriculture College. With technical assistance from the ministry and OAC, plans are under way to establish a common body to be known as the Namibia Rice Growers Association.

The body will serve as a conduit to channel financial assistance and to provide a platform for farmers to disseminate and share technical information related to their farming activities.

Spearheaded by Unam Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr Luke Kanyomeka, rice production has attracted many farmers in and around the Omusati region. Speaking during the occasion, University of Namibia Executive Dean of Agriculture and Natural Resources Professor, Godwin Kaaya, encouraged farmers to fulfil their noble task of producing food for the country.