STAFF WRITER
Acting Farm Manager of Shadikongoro Green Scheme, Joseph Mutero on Tuesday told the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Natural Resources that they continue to experience the same viability challenges year in, year out.
He said since the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Land Reform took over the reins at the project they received some farming implements including a tractor but they continue to struggle with resources.
Mutero said they have been operating without a combine harvest machine for years.
He said this delays their harvesting as they have to borrow from other regions. The Tobie Aupindi chaired committee visited the Zambezi, Kavango East and West regions for a week to assess the state of affairs at the green schemes and conservancies in the area.
“In terms of challenges. These are not new, they have been there for years and years. There has been a slight improvement but for us here we do with the little that we have. The major problem that we have is that we do not have a combine harvest machine and we have to borrow from other projects. This is the reason why for now we are still harvesting. This also delays our land preparation. Because if we harvest late we plant late,” he said.
He said the project has managed to employ workers from within the vicinity of the project.
“We also recruit casual workers. We get the community to come and help us and we pay them,” he said.
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