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Summer set in, and the planting began. We trust the Lord to lead us to plant and harvest in an affordable way that those around us will be able to follow. Our hope is that they will be encouraged to take the initiative to provide for their own families by working with their own hands.

Agricultural Growth

A large percentage of Namibians depend on agricultural activities for livelihood, mostly in the subsistence sector. Subsistence farming is where the farmer only grows enough crops and owns enough livestock to feed himself and his family.

Based on research, for the country's northern communal, more than half of Namibia's 2.3 million inhabitants live in this region. Already now, crop production levels are low, this is mainly due to infertile soils and unreliable rainfall. Only 2% of Namibia’s land receives sufficient rainfall to grow crops.This is particularly true. Hence there is a pressing need to adapt agriculture to climate change particularly in the northern communal areas.

People hoeing in field

Hoeing the field

One of our goals at Amana, serve to promote hand labour.

After land preparation, many subsistence farmers wait for sufficient rain before planting. In late November, we decided to start planting in dry soil applying conservation agriculture method for the first time. The manual potholing method, where a hoe is used to dig planting holes. Within 6 days, we successfully finished to plant 1.65 ha of hibiscus, 9000 square meters of yellow corn and 1 ha of mahangu/millet. Animal drawn or tractor drawn is no longer an issue.

But let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
Tractor plowing field

Tractor plowing field

Conservation Agriculture (CA) is a production system based on the principles of minimum mechanical soil disturbance, permanent soil cover, and crop rotation. The method reduces erosion and helps to use water more efficiently. It is therefore well suited to increase resilience against climate change. CA can be practiced manually or mechanically. The manual potholing method, where a hoe is used to dig planting holes, is labour intensive and therefore is suitable for communal farming. There are several mechanisms form of CA, either animal-drawn or tractor-drawn.

On the 28th Nov 2021 it started raining just two day after we finished with planting. The seeds germinated and it was looking good. We trust the Lord will use this activities to open the eyes of poor farmers who cannot afford animal drawn or tractor drawn to apply this method.

The main method used in Namibian pilot areas is the ripper furrowing method, where furrows with a depth of approximately 30 cm are created that break through the compacted soil.

On 16th Dec 2021 the tractor arrived to plough 4.65 ha of corn in the valley applying ripper furrowing method. Where it took us 6 days to finish with sowing the whole field.

We trust the Lord that these activities will provide wonderful opportunities to share Jesus love and the good news to the lost and dying world.

With Christ love,
The Hamukoto's

Rosselle bushes flourishing

Roselle Bushes

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