When livestock becomes a liability
For Uakevelua Munekamba, losing an animal is more than a setback on the farm. It means losing an investment that may never pay for itself, highlighting how quickly disease, drought and limited resources can undermine a farming operation.
A second-year veterinary medicine student at the University of Namibia (UNAM), Munekamba is also a communal farmer who keeps livestock and grows seasonal crops in Ruacana in the Omusati Region and Etoto in the Kunene Region.
Combining practical farming experience with veterinary studies has given him a perspective that extends beyond animal health. He understands how financial pressures, resource shortages and management decisions affect the daily realities of communal farmers.
“My family has been involved in crop and livestock farming for many generations, and I grew up enjoying herding livestock,” he said.
His interest in biology eventually led him to veterinary medicine, but his career choice was also shaped by the challenges his family faced as communal farmers.
“Communal farming, however, has not been easy for us due to recurrent droughts, diseases, limited grazing and water resources, lack of funds, limited veterinary services, poor livestock management and welfare, and traditional husbandry practices,” he said.
“These challenges motivated me to pursue a career in veterinary medicine, which will enable me to help animals and farmers,” he added.
The true cost
Munekamba’s farming operation includes cattle, small stock, chickens and donkeys, alongside crops such as pearl millet, sorghum, sugarcane, melons and legumes.
While livestock numbers may indicate the size of a farm’s assets, he believes they do not tell the whole financial story.
“An animal requires feed, water, space and medication. If it fails to reproduce or dies before generating returns, the money spent maintaining it can become a loss,” he said.
He recalls buying a young female goat without realising that it was infertile. Although the animal remains part of his herd, it has not produced the offspring he expected.
For Munekamba, the experience illustrates a less visible risk in livestock farming: an animal can remain on the farm while consuming resources without generating the expected return.
“A loss to me is investing in an animal that does not produce healthy young every year,” he said.
“This animal will end up costing the farm more due to feed, water, space, and medication,” he added.
These risks can be harder to manage under communal farming conditions, where access to land, grazing and water is limited. Livestock may also be exposed to theft, predators and disease.
Munekamba said acquiring additional land was one of the biggest obstacles he faced, as much of the communal land in his area was already occupied.
Access to finance presents another challenge, particularly for young farmers who may lack the collateral required by lending institutions.
When animal health becomes a financial decision
For Munekamba, studying veterinary medicine has changed the way he approaches livestock management. He has learnt how understanding animal health can improve productivity, welfare and longevity.
“Veterinary medicine has taught me that prevention is the best remedy for successful farming,” he said.
His family has begun keeping records, vaccinating livestock, controlling parasites regularly and taking steps to minimise stress among animals.
These practices matter because animal health problems can have consequences beyond the immediate cost of treatment. They can reduce production, increase expenses and, in the worst cases, result in permanent losses.
However, obtaining professional veterinary services is not always straightforward for farmers in remote areas.
Munekamba said long distances, limited transport and poor mobile phone reception could prevent farmers from getting timely veterinary assistance. As a result, some animals remain untreated, while others receive traditional treatments that may not be effective.
Delaying treatment can also allow contagious diseases to spread, potentially increasing costs and putting more animals at risk.
Namibia’s ongoing foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak has added financial pressure for affected livestock producers, particularly where movement, slaughter and sales restrictions limit their ability to market animals.
“Finance is the biggest struggle due to the current FMD outbreak, especially in terms of veterinary costs and restrictions on transport, slaughter, and sales of cloven-hoofed animals,” he said.
“Consequently, farmers will have to spend more on feed to maintain these animals that they currently cant sell, which is intensified by the El Niño effects (drought and floods),” he said.
For affected farmers, the financial strain continues even when sales are suspended. Animals still need feed, water and care, while income from livestock may be delayed.
From subsistence to a sustainable business
Farming is part of Munekamba’s family heritage, but he wants to develop the operation into a commercially sustainable business and build a career in agriculture.
He believes one of the key differences between subsistence farming and a viable agricultural enterprise is the ability to manage costs, measure productivity and generate a profit.
Farmers, he argues, need to look beyond the number of animals they own and understand the contribution each animal makes to the operation.
“Livestock pay the rent on the farm by producing young and by-products; if an animal stops paying rent, it must be sold,” he said.
Record-keeping is central to this approach. Tracking expenditure, production and income helps farmers identify problems, assess performance and make better-informed decisions.
His advice to young people interested in farming is to start small, gain practical experience and continue learning rather than invest heavily before understanding the risks.
He also believes agriculture offers opportunities beyond owning land and raising livestock. Young people can pursue careers in veterinary services, feed production, agricultural technology, equipment supply, transport and the development of farming infrastructure.
Looking ahead, Munekamba hopes to combine veterinary medicine, farming and agricultural entrepreneurship. His long-term ambition is to expand his family’s operation into a mixed farm producing crops, fruit, livestock and game.
Ultimately, he wants to establish a farm that produces much of its own feed, maintains healthy livestock and remains financially sustainable.
For Munekamba, the future of farming depends on combining practical experience with knowledge, responsible animal care and sound financial management.
His message to aspiring farmers is straightforward: “Start small, build experience, and never stop learning.”
