The Minister in the Presidency, Christine ||Hoebes has encouraged young people to start working fully towards participating in agricultural shows and arts exhibitions.
||Hoebes said this as she officially launched the Tsjaka Agri and Industrial Show with the theme ‘Inspiring farmers towards food security, sustainable farming and agri-business’ at Tsjaka in the Kalahari Constituency on Thursday.
The event, which brings exhibitors, farmers, businesses and young people from the area together, is taking place from 28 August to 03 September 2023.
“This is a great opportunity where we showcase our agricultural produce and arts and crafts that brought us all together to promote the skills we have and to harness the entrepreneurial and business spirit we have,” she said.
||Hoebes said she is happy to see young people attend the event so they can emulate what the elders are doing.
“It is honestly not for the [elders], it is for you who is going to work beyond what they have achieved,” she said.
The minister further indicated that the government has initiatives to figure out how to reposition the country’s economy after it was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“COVID-19 hit very hard, everybody was affected, productive lives of Namibia were lost, farmers lost their lives and young men and women lost their lives, and jobs were lost, including in the agriculture sector,” she stated.
||Hoebes said even though the situation is not good for agriculture, agriculture is still the backbone of the country’s economy and according to her the government has come up with different measures to uplift farmers.
Speaking at the same occasion, Temo Thuo Farmers Association chairperson Boni Mohkatu advised young people in the Tsjaka area and Kalahari to start taking over some of the positions “as the future belongs to them”.
“We have taken the responsibility to run the show, we must change our mindset especially here in Tsjaka and do things for ourselves and not wait for anyone to do anything for us. Young people should take over today and not tomorrow,” he said.
This year’s show includes livestock shows, farmer information sessions, crop produce from the area, promotion of local food and culture, horse racing and entertainment from local artists.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency