Omaheke crop production jumps 60% despite pest threat
Crop production in the Omaheke Region has increased by 60% over the past year, with the area under cultivation expanding from 500 to 800 hectares despite destructive pest outbreaks, marking one of the region's strongest agricultural seasons in recent years.
The increase was announced by Omaheke Governor Pijoo Nganate during his State of the Region Address on Monday.
The expansion follows the end of three consecutive years of drought after the 2024/25 rainy season, which improved farming conditions and renewed optimism among producers.
According to Nganate, 600 hectares of the cultivated land benefited from government tractor services and private tractor subsidies provided through the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform's Dry Land Crop Production Programme and Comprehensive Conservation Agriculture Programme.
"It tells me that we are serious about food production," he said.
Backbone of the economy
Nganate described agriculture as the backbone of Omaheke's economy, employing 39% of the region's workforce and playing a key role in reducing hunger, creating jobs and supporting rural development.
Good rainfall transformed farming conditions across much of the region. Otjinene and Okorukambe recorded more than 500 mm of rain, while Gobabis, Kalahari and Aminuis each received more than 300 mm on average.
The improved rainfall also restored grazing, with livestock reported to be in good to very good condition across the region.
However, the growing season was not without challenges. Nganate said outbreaks of fall armyworm and armoured crickets reduced yields in several crop-producing areas.
The region also experienced what he described as an unprecedented outbreak of lumpy skin disease, while authorities continued efforts to protect Omaheke's disease-free status against foot-and-mouth disease.
Despite these setbacks, government support programmes continued to expand.
Programme expansion
Through the National Horticulture Support and Value Chain Development Project, 169 farmers received subsidies for seeds, fertilisers, irrigation equipment, shade nets, water tanks, borehole pumps and pesticides.
A further 355 farmers received training in horticultural production to improve productivity and strengthen climate-resilient farming practices.
The agricultural programmes also created employment, with 17 tractor drivers appointed and a further 118 Namibians employed in seven weeding teams during the cropping season.
Communal farmers also benefited from livestock support programmes. Twenty farmers received 420 goats through a rotational livestock scheme, while 24 farmers benefited from poultry development initiatives and 17 received assistance through the Dairy Value Chain Development Project.
Nganate said the increase in production showed the region was moving beyond subsistence farming towards a more productive agricultural sector capable of supporting future agro-processing industries.
He said strengthening agriculture remained a cornerstone of Omaheke's development agenda and would help attract investment, promote value addition and improve long-term food security.
