Okapya Livestock Development Centre Manager, Sheuyange Tuhafeni has encouraged northern subsistence cattle farmers to start growing buffalo grass for their cattle instead of buying it from commercial farmers at a high price.
Tuhafeni said during a demonstration to farmers on how to plant buffalo grass at Okapya in the Nehale Lya Mpingana constituency of Oshikoto that buffalo grass is favoured by livestock and farmers lack the knowledge on how to plant and grow it.
‘Our farmers do not invest in growing this grass but it is the favourite of our animals. Instead they buy it from commercial farmers at a high price,’ said Tuhafeni.
He urged local farmers to visit the centre so that they can be trained on how to grow and harvest the buffalo grass. He added that the grass has a lifespan of 40 years and only grows during the rainy season.
One of the objectives of the centre, he noted, is to train indigenous farmers from north of the red line who are not familiar with livestock farming.
‘We focus mostly on livest
ock farming and livestock marketing such as dehorning, castration, animal health, feeding and animal grazing, and train farmers on how to produce animal feed,’ Tuhafeni said.
The centre also works to conserve indigenous cattle such as the Sanga breed, and to train the community in all aspects of farming.
Established in 2015, Okapya Livestock Development Centre falls under the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform to empower formerly disadvantaged communities in terms of farming.
Source: The Namibia Press Agency
Members Economic, Social and Cultural Rights ESCR-Net members, Endorois, and Ogiek communities held a peaceful procession to seek justice for their seized lands and torched houses from the Attorney General.
The two communities and the ESCR-Net members intended to deliver a call-to-action letter to the Attorney General’s office demanding the government to immediately implement the Commission and Court rulings to ensure justice and reparations for the communities. Hence, the communities have been protesting government neglect and forced evictions from their ancestral lands, demanding the fulfillment of promises made to them.
The Ogiek and Endorois community is awaiting plans from the Attorney General to address the ongoing protests due to recent house burnings and slow court proceedings.
Further, through its representative, the Ogiek community noted that the National Land Commission, in a visit to their land, promised to address the contentious issues but are currently disappointed to learn that the communit
y has been accused of living in and destroying the Mau forest, allegations they vehemently deny.
The communities also cited the issue of carbon grading which they suspect could be the underlying motivation for the forceful eviction and therefore, appealed to the government to sensitize everyone involved for better understanding through information, awareness, education, and training as it relates to carbon grading.
They added that their people lack basic facilities such as schools and hospitals where the former have been burnt down and the latter devoid of amenities and specialists needed to effectively take care of members of the communities. A representative from Sheria House assured the group that their issues would be promptly addressed.
Source: Kenya News Agency