A communal farmers’ cooperative in the Erongo region says it has given small stock farmers in the area more than N$1.6 million in of less than 18 months.
The money is generated from the sale of small stock animals that are sold through the auctions and promotional market events organised by the cooperative.
The Omkhaibasen Farmers Cooperative (OKFC) was formed in 2003 and has 50 members, all of whom are communal farmers in the Spitzkoppe, Tubusis and Okombahe areas.

Usakos community members at one of the Omkhaibasen Farmers’ Cooperative auction days.

“Our first marketing and auction event was in April 2006. This is after a 30 years absence of such an event in our area,” marketing coordinator for the cooperative, Isak Ouseb, told the Economist.
The next auction is to be held next Monday, 24 September, at Satamab Noord, Usakos district.
Each auction and marketing day is held under a different theme. Next week's theme is “Quality of our thinking will decide the goal of our future”.
This is aimed at informing farmers to reduce their livestock due to the current drought. “To reduce grazing pressure on the available land, we are telling farmers to sell now, while the animals are still healthy. Money generated can be used to purchase more livestock after the drought, if farmers so wish,” said Ouseb.
The animals to be auctioned are 300 goats, 200 sheep, and 100 cattle. They will be auctioned in conjunction with Agra Cooperative, which has a very good relationship with the community cooperative. “We are a young cooperative. We have neither the money nor the expertise. And that is where Agra comes in,” said Ouseb.
In April the community sold 164 cattle, 828 goats, and 428 sheep.
Besides the monetary benefits, the communal farmers also get to learn farming techniques. There will be visitors from the department of veterinary services in the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry, who will talk about veterinary issues and disease preventative measures.
Ouseb said the event is also a time for farmers to network with one another. The cooperative has a number of commercial farmers whom Ouseb said have been a source of knowledge for communal farmers.
Omkhaibasen Farmers Cooperative is operating a small livestock breeding business at the Daweb West breeding station, located 25 km outside Usakos. The breeding station belongs to the government and has been in use for decades. “We are a community based cooperative and we take seriously the interest of the local community,” said Ouseb.
He added that although the cooperative has 50 members, only 30 are active. “But we do not exclude the non-active members from benefiting from these events. These are our parents and grandparents,” he said.
The event is also an opportunity for the local community to sell its merchandises. Members sell their handmade products that range from leather and stone material.