Govt acquires farms for Neckartal dam green scheme

• By Kaipaherue Kandjii

The agriculture ministry has bought four new farms near the Neckartal dam to start green scheme projects.

The farms measuring 19,1 hectares were acquired for N$ 18,6 million for the ‘Neckartal Dam Irrigation Project’, which aims to replenish Namibia’s food security system.

According to the ministry’s 2024 draft report on drought, food security, and crop productivity, many people are on the brink of starvation as a result of what is characterised as “widespread crop failures,” which may pose a risk of “severe” food shortages.

On Monday, during a planning meeting at a local hotel in Windhoek, Minister Calle Schlettwein said the farmer who owns land near the Neckartal dam refuses to sell his farm, which is unacceptable and may jeopardise the irrigation scheme.

“There we bought four farms [measuring] 19. 000ha for almost N$ 19 million, but we have a sticky problem with one farmer in the centre of the irrigation scheme [who is] unwilling to sell; we made some progress. We asked the person to make a finite offer, which we will consider. Then, the law will take its course: we accept the offer, make a counter-offer, or reject it.

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