Despite its perennial free-flowing rivers and fertile grounds, the Zambezi Region is currently without a single green scheme; a reality that has stunned members of the National Council (NC).

The NC’s Standing Committee on Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources made the discovery during recent oversight visits on rural water supply.

Other areas the committee concentrated on were community-based conservancies and open mining pits.

“[Zambezi] governor [Lawrence Sampofu] informed the parliamentarians that the region was blessed with adequate water resources, surrounded by rivers, but there was no single irrigation project,” the committee found.

The last functioning green scheme was the Kalimbeza Rice Project, which is now a ‘white elephant’.

“The governor could only cite the Kalimbeza Rice Project that was poorly funded and appealed for more budgetary allocation to agriculture activities in the region.”

This, the committee says, has left Sampofu reeling.

“The governor complained that it was hard to comprehend that people so close to the river had dry taps.”

As if this was not enough, Sampofu also complained that residents in the region are forced by the status quo to compete with crocodiles to quench their thirst.

Back in 2020, the government pumped N.dollars 7.1 million into the rice project, which was on the verge of collapse at the time.

Despite the cash injection, the project was projected to make only N.dollars 500 000 as profit.

The government has now moved away from investing in its green schemes, instead opting to lease the 11 green schemes to potential local and foreign investors.

Making his contribution during a NC session here last week, Zimbinda Constituency councillor, Mumbali Lukaezi, contended that not the entire Zambezi was surrounded by water.

“I hope you visited my constituency. There was no water. The ministry [of agriculture] does not have experts to repair [infrastructure]. A simple problem takes months and months to repair. Those people are suffering. The cattle are dying. Zimbinda is a big constituency,” Lukaezi said.

The committee, however, came back with some positive stories to tell.

One such case is the Salambala Conservancy with the size of 930 hectares according to the committee.

It sustains around 11 000 registered members. Last year, the conservancy derived around N.dollars 2.2 million from its activities, which covered, among others, its operational costs.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency