Breweries sends lots of local barley as relief for drought-stricken farmers
The Dare to Care Disaster fund received a truckload of barley this week from the commodity’s producer, Namibia Breweries Ltd. The barley was grown on the Breweries’ Rietfontein farm in the Grootfontein district where approximately 400 hectares are cultivated for barley, producing roughly 1400 tonnes of barley per year.
Thirty two tonnes of the harvest found its way this week to the coffers of the Dare to Care fund for drought distressed farmers. The fund, established as a collaboration between the Namibia Agricultural Union and the Namibia Emerging Commercial Farmers Union, has set a target of raising N$10 million by the end of March 2019 for drought relief through a range of subsidies. The scheme officially starts next week Monday, 01 April.
Receiving the substantial contribution from the Breweries’ representatives, Dr Ndahafa Nghifindaka of the emerging farmers union said Dare to Care is based on a marketing drive to collect principal which will be used to subsidise farmers’ purchases of fodder. The fund is audited externally to ensure full transparency.
“The fund will not give any donations but will subsidize certain animal feeds. The subsidies will be available to all farmers, including communal, emerging and commercial throughout the country where approved retail feed suppliers are available” she explained.
Francois Jacobs, the Breweries Manager: Source and Inventory said this contribution by Namibia Breweries Ltd and the O&L Group reflects the group’s dedication to and passion for its purpose of ‘Creating a future, enhancing life’
“It is simply an honour and a privilege to be able to contribute to the upliftment of the local agricultural sector. The drought has clearly made its mark and continues to impact the flow of the local economy. We can only hope and trust that this humble donation will go a long way in support of the economy,” he said.
Dr Nghifindaka continued “We are extremely grateful for NBL and the O&L Group for this contribution which will make a big difference in the life of local farming. We encourage other corporates to follow suit,” adding that local farmers are in need of all the help they can get.
Caption: From the left, Dr Ndahafa Nghifindaka, the President of the Namibia Emerging Commercial Farmers, Harald Maggraff, the Manager Commodities at the Namibia Agricultural Union, Francois Jacobs, the Breweries Manager Source and Inventory, and Jennifer Klein, the Breweries’ Procurement Officer.
