The Old Mutual Foundation (OMF), in collaboration with Agra Limited, donated firefighting equipment worth N.dollars 145 000 to the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism to help the regions where veld fires are common.
Last year, Namibia was hit by devastating veld fires that destroyed 1 489 385ha (hectares) by the end of November 2022, causing severe injuries and loss of life to both humans and animals, as well as causing significant damage to property and infrastructure.
Mignon du Preez, Old Mutual Marketing, Public Affairs and Sustainability Executive, stated in a media release on Thursday that the dangers posed by veld fires, as well as the number of terrains decimated, demonstrate a clear environmental threat to Namibian communities, impacting food security. The most important factor is the threat it poses to Namibians’ lives, she added.
Piet Stoman Jr, Agra’s Manager of Brand and Communication was quoted as saying as the household name in agriculture, Agra is proud to be a part of this initiative.
“We are all too familiar with the devastation caused by veld fires and have first-hand experience with the dangers, losses and aftereffects of fires,” he explained.
Stoman thanked OMF for their trust, stating that the firefighters and new equipment will play an important role in serving communities across Namibia by saving lives and livelihoods for years to come.
Accepting the donation on behalf of the MEFT, Deputy Director of Forest and Botanical Research at the Directorate of Forestry, Esmerialda Strauss welcomed the donation of five firefighting machines which have been dispatched to Forestry Regional Offices in five regions. These are Outjo in the Kunene Region, Rundu (Kavango West Region), Tsumeb (Oshikoto Region), Otjiwarongo (Otjozondjupa Region) and Rehoboth in the Hardap Region.
The statement further indicated that the firefighting machines would be managed by the respective offices and made available to stakeholders in the event of a fire.
It noted that the Directorate of Forestry’s fire preparedness activities include veld fire management through prevention and suppression, community outreach, education and awareness, and stakeholder engagement.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency
