| Rural communities get insight into commercial farming and agricultu |
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| Written by Staff Reporters | |||
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Rural communities are well known for their communal farming and agricultural methods, but organisations are getting involved in trying to educate the communities about the advantages of commercial farming.
Agra is involved in these training and educational projects by assisting initiatives that support the productive and optimal use of natural resources, including the development of Namibia’s human capital. Agra supports such initiatives as the Dagbreek Agricultural Project that is cultivating vegetables on the premises of the Dagbreek School for the Mentally Impaired. Through this project, children are taught various aspects and skills of self-sufficiency. The project aims to promote self-sufficiency, ending with the sale of fresh and processed produce.
Paul du Plessis expressed his gratitude to Agra for its support, which
enabled the
Agra also supports the Cheetah Conservation Fund Farmworkers’ Course that is a practical agriculture course for farm workers. The course aims to equip farm owners and workers with the necessary practical experience and knowledge regarding effective livestock management and the sustainable use of natural resources. The course furthermore addresses the ecosystem in which farming operates, with particular attention paid to predators within this system, the advantageous role they can play and management practices to reduce stock losses as a result of natural predation. By supporting this initiative, Agra was able to create development opportunities for Namibian producers, thereby improving productivity while maintaining production. Another project supported by Agra is the Communal Farmers Consortium, which is based on the collective desire of various companies to contribute to the development of communal farmers. This consortium is run in co-operation with the Namibia National Farmers Union (NNFU), and it’s main aim is to assist farmers’- and regional agricultural unions in communal areas in the holding of local and regional shows. According to Agra, this supportive process aims to assist the efforts of government in narrowing the gap between the commercial and communal sectors and creating a united agricultural sector. Agra said this aim of a united agricultural sector would be possible by empowering communal farmers with the skills, expertise and necessary financial resources to help bring them on par with their commercial counterparts. |
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