Swakara Support Scheme: Erongo region

Swakara Support team with Extension staff from Erongo region

The Swakara Support Scheme is designed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry (MAWF) through the division: Livestock Research in conjunction with the stakeholders to increase the Swakara (Karakul) sheep population and pelt output in Namibia.

The objective is to assist the Namibian Communal, resettled and Rehoboth-district Swakara farmers, through the provision of Swakara rams and ewes at subsidized prices, as well as to capacitate them through training in the management of Swakara sheep

Components of the Swakara Scheme:

• Buying of rams and ewes from the MAWF's Breeding Stations
• Subsidy on rams and ewes bought on public auctions 
• Training of beneficiaries at MAWF Stations (Gellap-Ost-, Kalahari- and Tsumis  Research Stations)

Who qualifies:

• An individual Communal, Resettled and Rehoboth-district Swakara farmer
• A group of the above mentioned Swakara farmers
• Aspiring farmers or farmers who want to start Swakara/Karakul farming

Selection Requirements:

• Applicants must be bona fide or aspiring Swakara farmers living in the communal, resettlement farming areas of Namibia including Rehoboth district in the Hardap region.
• There is no restriction on how long the applicants have been staying or living in that particular area.
• Preference will be given to applicants with less than 30 Swakara sheep or no Swakara sheep at all.  For applicants who apply for animals from Research/Breeding Stations:
• Applicants must have  between 0-70 of other small stock units.
• Applicants must be Namibian citizens between the ages of 18 and 70 years old with no criminal record
• Each beneficiary is allowed to benefit once to the maximum of 50 ewes,and two rams from the Scheme in his/her lifetime.
• In terms of livestock the applicants should own, there is no restrictions on applicants who apply for subsidy on public auction