Martin Endjala
Popular Democratic Movement leader McHenry Venaani says poverty can be overcome through the use of drip irrigation in crop production.
He states that PDM believes that agriculture has solutions to the country’s economic difficulties, especially self-sustainability of small scale farmers.
Venaani made his contributions to a motion tabled in parliament last week by PDM MP Vipuakuje Muharukua, calling for a 40 percent subsidy for Omusati farmers.
The PDM leader accused the government of implementing ineffective agricultural policies.
He called on the Ministry of Finance to ensure that allocation is made for drip irrigation in the mid-term budget.
He said that the country should utilised its perennial rivers for agricultural production to make the country food self-sufficient.
“Help them and promote them. If people are not in the know of such systems or technology, they will not be productive.’’
He pointed out that Namibia is falling far behind in the utilization of the water sources it shares with other countries.
Leader of the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) Mike Kavekotora warned MPs not to get too
excited about the motion as the issues of agriculture have been raised before and nothing was done.
Hence, he now wants the MPs to ensure that this time they take the bull by its horns and drive the motion into achieving its intended mission.
Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration and Safety, Albert Kawana agreed that the allocation for agriculture must be increased.
