The majority of the inhabitants of the Otazuma village in Kunene region of Namibia rely on livestock production and principally herd goats and cattle for a livelihood. Although the area is semi-arid in nature, it has much underground water that was under-utilized. The Namibia Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Forestry (MAWF) requested the support of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to diversify the livelihoods of the community by making use of the water and other available resources. 

"The community was mainly using water for livestock production. The task was to convince the community that the water could be collected into tanks for food and fodder production," explained Charley Hianja, the Agricultural Extension Technician of the MAWF.

Part of the sensitization drive involved community meetings that discussed the role of the farmers and the most appropriate model for gardening projects in the area.

 "New concepts such as drip irrigation, as opposed to spring irrigation, would best be illustrated through demonstration, and it is what we chose to do," says Charley.

The interventions

With funding from USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), FAO provided the community with agricultural inputs including fencing materials, water tanks, livestock fodder seeds, crop seeds, fruit trees and irrigation systems for establishing two demonstration gardens.  

The community managed the gardens while the MAWF provided technical assistance and trained them in land preparation, planting, and seed varieties and cultivars for different seasons. The farmers also received training on conservation agriculture with a special focus on pesticide control, soil fertility management and fertilizer application, production of liquid manure, and effective use of drip irrigation.

Miguel Zeferino inspired into farming again

Miguel, a lead farmer, gave up farming in the past, due to recurrent drought. He resorted to operating a retail shop that wasn't giving him enough to cover his basic expenses. 

 "I maintained a tiny garden that was rainfed," he said. 

Drawing inspiration from other demonstration farms in his community, Miguel decided to give farming another chance. FAO provided him with gardening equipment and fencing materials. Thanks to the solar pump and water tanks that FAO established in the community for irrigation, Miguel is now a successful farmer. 

His farm is lush with a variety of crops, including cassava, pumpkin, cowpeas, tomatoes, onions, and maize, as well as Lucerne for his livestock. He draws water from the installed tanks and applies conservation agriculture techniques. 

Miguel'sMiguel's family consumes most of the crops, and he sells the surplus for income. Last year, he donated part of his bumper harvest of carrots to a local school.

Empowering youth through agriculture

Muhimba Hepute, 34, and a father of three started growing crops on the second demonstration garden.  "I attended the training and traveled to Otavi to see how other farmers are growing their crops" he says. Currently growing eggplant, spinach, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, and watermelon, he uses water provided by the solar-powered water pumping system to irrigate his crops. 

"Now we eat a variety of food, unlike in the past when we mostly ate maize porridge. We also do not buy onions or tomatoes anymore," he said. 

Muhimba sells the surplus crops and uses the income to buy necessities at home as well as feed for his livestock. 

Going forward, Muhimba wishes to expand his garden, gain more agricultural skills, and share his knowledge and experience with the rest of the community. 

"There are many youths in the community who can benefit from my experience," he said.  

Community feedback and plans

The community is excited about the project and would like to enlarge it. However, they are confronted by a set of emerging issues, including the need to employ more water conservation techniques such as drip irrigation systems. They also would like to expand the conservation agriculture practices such as cover crops and mulching to reduce water evaporation. 

Furthermore, the community is seeking to find ways of dealing with mulching, which is creating a conducive environment for termites (and other crop pests). They are also exploring opportunities to learn and exchange lessons and best practices from other well-established gardens. 

Next Steps and Way Forward

There is demand from the community to support more farmers and help the current beneficiaries to manage the resource sustainably." said Charley. The introduction and use of drip line irrigation, netting shelters, diversification into poultry production would go a long way in strengthening the resilience of the farmers against climate-related disasters utilizing their natural resources.