The Livestock Support Programme (LSP) project team met with farmers’ representative and other stakeholders in Kavango West and Kavango East. The LSP project seeks to support livestock farming, address and respond to climate change challenges in order to establish a certain degree of resilience towards farmers.
During the inception workshop in Kavango East, in a statement read by Mesag Mulunga on behalf of the Executive director (Percy Misika), he stated that there is a need to deploy a complete paradigm shift in order to improve the NCA livestock industry. This starts from the producer level right through the entire value chain. He further added that the Ministry is seeking to revive the tannery industry in the country. he however cautioned that, the sustainability of the leather industry depends on the consistency of supply of skins and hides by livestock producers.
On behalf of the governor for Kavango East (Hon. B. Wakudumo), Damian Maghambayi, constituency councillor for Mukwe highlighted that the issue of the foot and mouth disease and the cordon fence are some of the challenges affecting farmers in the region. He further added that the region have poor road infrastructure which makes it very difficult for farmers to transport their livestock from the inland to towns where they have to market them.
Farmers are also concern about the abattoir that have been idle for an extended period of time and the depilating quarantine facility.
Attending to some of these challenges that farmers are facing, the ministry have noted that it takes pride in that it has always been able to contain FMD outbreaks. The ministry have also emphasised that it is challenging to maintain quarantine facility and keep them in good condition as they are prone to vandalism. Therefore, rural communities must realise that these facilities are there for them and they should be foot soldiers to protect them at all cost.