Martin Endjala
The Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform is working to revive the Neckartal Dam situated in the Fish River in the Kharas region because the N$5.5 billion investment has yet to reach its full potential.
The dam was constructed to provide water for irrigation and generate electricity for the national grid.
The project now faces criticism from the public for its slow progress and failure to address key agricultural needs in the region.
Last year, the ministry announced that it would require an additional N$2 billion to complete the construction of the second phase of the dam involving the multimedia irrigation project.
The ministry has now set aside N$20 million for the design, tender documentation, and construction supervision of an irrigation project at Neckartal that spans roughly 2000 hectares (ha).
The Kharas regional governor, Aletha Fredericks, during a review of the ministry’s achievements for the region’s 2024/25 financial year in Keetmanshoop, called for urgency to utilise the land around the dam.
“I am calling for the ministry to expedite the procurement process for consultancy services to design the irrigation scheme around Neckartal. This process is long overdue, though we understand there have been many tender cancellations. I can’t overemphasise the urgency and importance of having an irrigation scheme at Neckartal,” she said.
Last year, during a public stakeholder meeting, the agriculture minister, Calle Schlettwein, said stakeholders should first agree on an economically viable model and its operationalization for the Neckartal Dam irrigation project.
The envisaged irrigation scheme covers about 1 960 hectares of land and will promote agriculture and employment in the country’s sub-economic area.
The second phase of the scheme involves increasing the size of the irrigated land to approximately 5 000 hectares which would extend the project’s potential.
