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| Namibia Agriculture Union: http://www.agrinamibia.com.na/ |
Disclaimer: Although everything has been done to
ensure the accuracy of information, the NAU takes no responsibility for actions
or losses that might occur due to the usage of this information.
THOUGHT
FOR THE WEEK: LIFE ALWAYS OFFERS A SECOND CHANCE. IT IS CALLED TOMORROW
In today’s
newsletter
·
LPO and RPO met
·
Further steps against game- and stock theft
·
HIV and wellness pilot program for farmers and farm
workers during auctions
·
Monitoring framework for farmers
·
FA and other news
LPO and RPO met
The Livestock Producers Organisation (LPO) of Namibia
under leadership of the chairperson, Mr Mecki Schneider this week held a
meeting with its compeers, the Red Meat Producers Organisation (RPO) of South
Africa. The RPO was represented by its chairperson, Mr Lardus van Zyl and their
Executive Manager, Mr Gerhard Schutte. The main objective of the meeting was to
get more clarity about the proposed establishment of import restrictions to the
RSA and the role and view of the RPO in this regard.
Besides the above, numerous matters of joint interest
were discussed. It was agreed that –
1. Better communication between the LPO and RPO on a more
continuous basis be implemented
2. Attempts will be strengthened for a more effective
veterinary service in both countries as trade basis for international trade
3. The veterinary status of all SADC countries be increased
in order to ease trade
4. It is strived for a free market system within the
Southern African Customs Union (SACU) without any trade limits imposed by the
authorities
5. Liaison with all role players in the value chain,
including the authorities, will be improved to promote industry interest
6. Joint production aims are increased to meet the demand
for red meat
7. To improve liaison between game and livestock and
8. Room is left to accommodate the various countries
unique production systems and marketing situations
The meeting was concluded with an informal barbeque.
Further steps against game- and stock theft
Management members of the NAU and NAPHA (Namibia
Professional Hunting Association) this week decided on further action steps
against the increasing stock- and game theft in Namibia.
An analysis of the various Acts, these are the Nature
Conservation Ordinance No 4 of 1975 as amended as well as the Stock Theft Act
No 19 of 2004 indicate that penalties have already been adapted and that they
are reasonable in most cases, but that these new penalties are not applied by
the Courts.
In the case of stock theft there is only imprisonment
without a choice of penalty. The minimum imprisonment is 2 years with a maximum
of 30 years for a second offence. This maximum punishment however is currently
reviewed as it has been declared unconstitutional in a test case in the High
Court.
In the case of game theft there is a choice of
penalty. In the case of protected game it is a maximum of N$4 000,00 or
imprisonment of not more than 4 years and for huntable game it is a maximum of
N$2 000,00 or 2 years imprisonment, which is most probably not enough to
discourage game thieves. The trophy value of huntable game is in most cases
much higher than these penalties.
It was decided to take the following action steps,
namely –
·
awareness campaign by the office of the Prosecutor General for all
prosecutors about the adapted penalties;
·
an appointment with the Ministry of Environment & Tourism for an
increase of penalties for huntable game
·
an appointment with the Ministry of Justice for the finalisation of the
Stock Theft Act
·
an awareness campaign amongst members of the NAU and NAPHA to assist the
Police with taking declarations in order to make them complete so that they are
not rejected in the Courts
·
a document which as been drafted by Mr Willem Enslin with regard to a
strategy to combat game and stock theft which will be submitted to the Police.
A Legal Advisor has been appointed to draft a
step-by-step manual for land owners with regard to their rights when they catch
culprits which are caught red-handed.
HIV and wellness pilot program for farmers and farm
workers during auctions
The sector Stakeholder Meeting for HIV and Wellness of
the Ministry of Agriculture, Water & Forestry has initiated a pilot testing
program according to which all farmers and their workers can get free wellness
testing during auctions. The pilot program is sponsored by the GIZ in
cooperation with PharmAccess, who will then have a mobile clinic at the day of
the auction. Testing will be done for blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol,
BMI (Body Mass Index and HIV.
The first two opportunities earmarked for this, are
the Agra auction at Rehoboth on Tuesday, March 4, 2014 and the Agra auction at
Otjiwarongo on Thursday, March 6, 2014. During these auctions there will be a
mobile clinic of Pharm Access at the relevant auction grounds from 09:00 in the
morning until 16:00 in the afternoon. Farmers
are requested to come themselves and bring as many workers and their families
along as possible to have them tested free of charge.
The main objective of this pilot project is to test
the potential approach of bringing HIV and Wellness services to the farmers and
their farm workers efficiently. If this is successful, it can be extended to
other auctions, farmer association days and agricultural shows.
Monitoring framework for farmers
A group of experts which include rangeland
specialists, economists, agricultural organisations and farmers this week
attended a workshop in Windhoek for the development of a monitoring framework
for farmers and their organisations. The objective of the framework will be to
collect basic information with regard to rangeland, production, finances, labour,
marketing and risks. This information can then be used by farmers as well as
assisting organisations in the agricultural sector with the evaluation as well
as planning of their farming activities.
The workshop was offered by the Farmers Support Programme
(FSP) with the assistance of the GIZ. The workshop only focused on livestock
and rangeland.
A few years ago the NAU developed a similar program,
namely the AgriStat and introduced it to farmers. Unfortunately only few
farmers have this program and there is a big deficiency in the market for basic
information for evaluation and planning purposes. There are study groups in the
commercial agricultural sector who have this information and who sometimes
kindly make it available to the NAU. However, there is a lack of such
information for especially emerging and resettled farmers and the objective of
the development of such a program is to also include these farmers.
The first round was mainly about the identification of
critical factors which should be measured. The development of a mechanism to
measure this information will most probably discussed in depth at the next
meeting.
2013 Young Farmer of the Year farmers’ day
The Farmer’s Day of the 2013 Young Farmer of the Year takes place on 12
March on the Farm Silversand, 90km east of Windhoek of Mr en Mrs Marco and
Regine Seefeldt. The programme begins at 08:00 and a sightseeing tour on the
farm begins at 09:00. A programme for
the women as well as a mini Show will also take place. Registration is N$170 for adults and N$70 for
children 6 – 16 years. All meals
included. Interest persons must RSVP
before 28 February 2014 at Sylvia Henke, Tel 081 2317823, sylviaheld@hotmail.com, Carola Raad,
Tel 081 3680962 or Marco & Regine Seefeldt, Tel 081 2965802, seefeldt@iway.na. Click here for more information
Meat production school
The bi-annual NSV Meat Production School will be held on March 19 & 20 at
the Heja Game Lodge outside Windhoek. The program starts on March 19 at 08:00
with registration and speakers are inter alia Prof Johann Willemse, Dr Jasper
Coetzee, Dr Dietmar Holm, Adri Nell & Gerrie Scholz, Norbert Dörgeloh,
Derrick Wright, Dr Munro Marx, Prof Frikkie Neser, Prof Louw Hoffmann, Dr Niel
van Zyl, Dr Michael Bradfield, Leon Lubbe,
Pieter Hugo, Judith Isele en Mecki Schneider and the program is opened
by Mr Ryno van der Merwe. On March 20 from 14:00 – 16:00 a program for the
women is offered. The costs for the full program are N$1 100, which includes
course material, lunches, coffee and dinner. Registration for one day only is
N$550 and for the women’s program N$150 whereby tea and cake is included. For
further details contact Jacques Els, Tel 081 1281032, jacque@iway.na. Kliek hier vir Registrasie form
Meatco Inter Farmers Association Braai competition
The 34th Inter Farmer
Association Braai competition is offered this year by last year’s winner,
Uhlenhorst Farmers Association at the well known Bitterwasser Lodge on March 28
& 29. Besides the 19 Farmers Association and 20 social teams who will compete
for this title, there will be, for the first time this year, also a Junior
braai competition for respectively primary and high school children. Entries
are limited to a certain amount and close on March 15.
Besides the usual exhibitors
and food stalls, there will be also various entertainments such as airgun
shooting, where an airgun can be won, jumping castles and much more. To support
the costs for the 2 days there will also be a silent auction where various
items such as a Sussex bull (for farmers) hunting packets and many more are
offered.
The gates open for the
public on Friday, March 28 at 12:00 and in the evening will be the opening,
welcome and introduction of the braai teams during the Meatco reception. On
Saturday, March 29 it is the braai day with all other activities. The day is
concluded with the prize giving, a steak braai and dance with Andre Havenga.
For further details contact Hoekus
van Niekerk 063 – 265336 of 081 128
3511, Annalie v d Merwe 063- 265608 of 081 232 0707, Willie
Krugel 063- 265311 of 081 249 2509.
FA and other news
Helmeringhausen FA will hold a meeting on March 5 at 10:00 at the FA
centre. For further details contact Timm Miller, Tel 081 2079974, miller@mtcmobile.com.na.
The SA Boerperd breeders are
hosting an open and information day
on March 8 at 08:00 at Farm Keizen, 36km north of Steinhausen. A Namibian Club
will be formed and for further information and to register before March 5,
please contact Loïse Swanepoel, Tel 081 1443952, hochfeldcattle@gmail.com or Henriëtte le Grange, Tel 081 1279170, hh@iway.na.
Amos Namibia / Channel 7 will hold a thanks giving service for the rain on March
9 at 09:30 at Farm Excelsior No 286 of Mr Johan Deysel in the Seeis vicinity.
Owners and workers should please bring along their own chairs. For further
details contact Mr Johan Deysel, Tel 081 1244466.
Hoërand FA is holding a member meeting on March 11 at 15:00 at
the FA hall at Farm Stubbenkamer, Maltahöhe district. Guest speaker is Mr Danie
de Lange from Feedmaster and a new management will be elected. Thus all members
are requested to attend the meeting. The day is concluded with a bring and
braai and further details can be obtained from Mr Bartie Burger, Tel 081
3792626, antoiburger@gmail.com.
Blumfelde FA is hosting a women’s day on March 12 at 09:00 at the FA hall. Marsha
Botha will offer a make up course, a brow forming and weight loss program.
Trish and Frikkie Engelbrecht will hold a “True Colour” talk. The costs are
N$60 per person. There will also be various stands where clothing, make up, etc
can be bought. For further details contact Margret Binneman, Tel 081 4440334 or
Maria de Waal, Tel 062 581201.
A talk about
trans boundary cross-border underground water is being held in English by
Mr Greg Christelis of the Geo Hydro Association on March 13 at 19:30 at the
Scientific Society, 110 Robert Mugabe Ave, Windhoek. For further details
contact Waltraud Fritzsche, Tel 061 225372, nwg@iway.na.
Karibib FA is holding a meeting on March 15 at 17:00 at Farm
Kaltenhausen. Further details from Mrs Gladis, Tel 064 550939, 081 1284851, Doris.Gladis@elvey.co.za.
Kaiserstreet FA is holding its Annual General Meeting on March 15 at
08:00 at the Meatco feeding lot on the way to Okahandja. The costs are N$100
per person and please register before March 7 with Gerda van der Westhuizen,
Tel 061 253016, 081 1279021, kaiserstraatfarmersassociation@gmail.com.
Steinhausen FA is holding a member meeting on March 19 at 15:00 at the FA hall at Farm
Steinhausen. For further details contact Mayke Rumpf, Tel 062 561422, combumbi@iway.na.
Maltahöhe FA is holding a member meeting
on March 19 at 10:00 at Farm Nomtsas of Mr & Mrs Albert Voigts-von Schütz.
Mr Axel Rothauge of AgriConsult Namibia will give lectures and practical
in-field demonstrations about rangeland use and evaluation. For further details
contact Mr Christian Otto, Tel 063 293512, ottojagd@iway.na.
Epukiro FA is holding their annual
member meeting on March 26 at 15:00 at Farm Omaramba of Gert & Johanna
Koekemoer. Messrs Heiner Böhme and Abrie van Wyk from Meatco will inter alia be
speakers. For further details contact Johanna, Tel 062 568880.
Exchange Rate NAD (22-28 February 2014)
|
||||||
February
|
EURO
|
USD
|
POUND
|
PULA
|
||
Saturday
|
22
|
15.011
|
10.927
|
18.156
|
1.216
|
|
Sunday
|
23
|
15.011
|
10.927
|
18.156
|
1.216
|
|
Monday
|
24
|
14.856
|
10.811
|
17.988
|
1.208
|
|
Tuesday
|
25
|
14.734
|
10.718
|
17.893
|
1.204
|
|
Wednesday
|
26
|
14.828
|
10.847
|
18.058
|
1.226
|
|
Thursday
|
27
|
14.710
|
10.727
|
17.899
|
1.205
|
|
Friday
|
28
|
14.683
|
10.720
|
17.894
|
1.204
|
|
Saturday to Thursday: 17:00 UTC
(Coordinated Universal Time)
|
||||||
Friday: 06:38 UTC
|
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