Niël Terblanché
The Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform is negotiating with Agribank to increase the startup loan for resettlement farmers from N$200 000 to N$500 000.
Deputy Minister Anna Shiweda said this in response to questions from Kennedy Shekupakela of the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) in the National Assembly.
According to Shiweda, the goal of the proposed loan amount increase is to close gaps in the resettlement program and allow the ministry to provide better support for resettled farmers.
“The ministry intends to increase the capacity of resettled farmers,” she stated.
She, however, also acknowledged that the majority of the beneficiaries have not repaid their loans, resulting in a 48% arrears rate for the Revolving Fund Facility.
She added that to ensure the success of the resettlement program, the ministry provides comprehensive pre- and post-training to all resettlement beneficiaries.
Shiweda also revealed that the ministry has received N$50 million to purchase land for generational farm workers and possibly for those stranded in road corridors.
“Despite the insufficiency of the budget, strict due diligence will be applied to the allocation process to prevent abuse of the funds,” she said.
According to Shiweda, the revised resettlement criteria and the newly approved National Resettlement Policy maintain a 70/30 ratio allocation for displaced individuals.
“The ministry is actively collaborating with stakeholders, including the Ministry of Finance, to enhance budget allocations for the Land Acquisition Program,” she said.
Shiweda reiterated the government’s ongoing efforts to engage with landowners to encourage agricultural land contributions to support the government’s resettlement initiatives.
“We are committed to ensuring that the resettlement program is effective and that it significantly impacts the lives of those displaced,” she stated.
She said that the initiative aims to boost financial support and training for resettlement farmers and that it demonstrates the government’s commitment to the broader land reform program and its efforts to create sustainable agricultural livelihoods for resettlement beneficiaries.
