Utilise land effectively, Agribank urges

It is crucial that farmers utilise land effectively and implement farming practices that enhance the sustainability of the soil.

According to Agribank’s technical advisor for crops and poultry Hanks Saisai, fertile land has become a very scarce resource due to degradation from agricultural, mining and other activities.

He said this is to the extent that soil has lost its natural ability to supply nutrients to plants, house micro-organisms and provide water to plants and micro-organisms.

“Farmers are urged to know that taking care of your soil has long-term benefits on farming operations.”

For instance, if one introduces crop rotation on a piece of land that was only used to grow the same crop each year, this practice encourages the soil to rebuild its fertility reserves as varying crops utilise soil nutrients differently, Saisai said.

He added that farmers should practice tree planting on their land as the growth of trees in the soil helps to bind soil particles to their roots, leading to minimisation of soil loss due to water or wind erosion.

“Moreover, planting fruit trees has an added advantage of increasing the income streams of the farmer and minimises the effect of risks the farmer’s main enterprise may face, such as drought.”



Let it lie fallow

According to Saisai, for crop farmers, it is encouraged that after four to five consecutive years of tilling land, it should lie fallow for a year.

He explained that fallowing is a technique that allows land to recover and restore matter while retaining moisture and disrupting pest life cycles and soil-borne pathogens by temporarily removing their hosts – the crops.

“Furthermore, it is crucial to note that when the farmer cares for the land, the land will surely care for the farmer’s enterprises that depend on it.”

Saisai added that it is important for farmers to view their land as an income-generating asset.

“For instance, if every farmer owns 10 hectares of land on average, an important question to ask is: ‘How much income can I generate on this piece of land?’”



Size doesn’t matter

Farmers need to understand that limitations in land size do not translate to limitations in their income, he said.

Saisai explained that if one for instance grows onions on one hectare, a conservative yield of 15 tonnes may be achieved, and if the onions are sold at an average farm gate price of N$8.50 per kg, an income of N$121 500 may be generated per production cycle.

Another example he gave is that of a poultry farmer with a layer hen enterprise on 100 square metres who farms with 300 Loham brown hens.

According to him, a possible income of N$201 300 can be generated.

“Ultimately, it does not mean you need large tracts of land to produce. It is possible to practice intensive production to generate income and sustain your livelihood by utilising land effectively.”

Saisai further said land is a valuable asset and caring for it will enable food production, income generation, employment creation and sustainable livelihoods.