Follow-up training helps Kunene goat farmers manage healthy herds
Goat farmers from the Kunene Region received training in small stock production during April as part of the IREMA scheme funded by the Environmental Investment Fund in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform.
The training sessions were conducted at Khorixas and Opuwo. Some 45 farmers participated in the sessions, including individuls from the Himba, San and Zemba ethnic groups.
The overall goal is to enable goat beneficiaries who received goats from IREMA and the ministry in 2022 to increase their knowledge and skill in sustainable small stock farming. Through various sessions, training took place in production/husbandry practices including marketing, revolving scheme regulations and challenges faced by farmers. The training was centered around improving small stock production knowledge, improving skills among the farmers, promote the small stock revolving scheme especially the regulations which apply to beneficiaries.
The IREMA scheme is managed by the Environmental Investment Fund as part of its mandate to fund climage change adaptation. This particular project is titled “Improving Rangeland and Ecosystem Management Practices of Smallholder Farmers Under Conditions of Climate Change in Sesfontein, Fransfontein, and Warmquelle Areas.”
In 2022 the IREMA project procured 630 goats which benefited 29 beneficiaries while the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform procured another 441 goats which benefited 21 farmers in the Kunene Region.
Amonst others, the IREMA training covered animal health, record keeping, small stock husbandry, general body condition observations, diagnosis of sick animals, healthy goats, kraal hygiene, vaccination and dosing, marketing, flock composition and breeding.
Not only does the training focus on the farming side of animal husbandry but it also covered the meaning and significance of the IREMA project so that beneficiaries clearly understand that the ultimate goal is improving the livelihoods of local communities impacted by climate change.
