ONGWEDIVA –veterans of the liberation struggle who have excelled in agriculture have received a shot in the arm when 41 of them each received a tractor fitted with disk ploughs and other farming implements.

Last Friday was a hive of activity in Omuthiya as scores of war veterans thronged the premises at the Oshikoto Regional Offices to witness the han-ding- over of the first batch of tractors to 10 beneficiaries of the programme.

Handing over the tractors and implements, War Veterans Minister Dr Nicky Iyambo, said the mission of his ministry is to provide social and economic support to veterans of the national liberation struggle to enable them to engage in sustainable economic initiatives.

“Do not abuse these tractors, they should not be used for transport, but they are for farming. So farm, farm and farm, so that you harvest, harvest and harvest, then you pay,” implored Iyambo.
He said as part of his ministry’s strategic objective of integrating veterans into the economic mainstream, 1300 projects in different sectors of the economy (all initiated by veterans themselves) have so far been approved by the Veterans’ Board.

The projects are in different sectors, such as Crop production, livestock, construction, transport, security services, infrastructure development, mini-markets, tailoring, catering consultancies, welding, Internet cafés, vocational training, panel-beating, road maintenance, driving schools and others.

The beneficiaries welcomed the project and pledged to increase productivity in the region and create employment to others.
Iyambo said more projects would be approved, but it all depends on the availability of funds.

Nicanor expressed the hope that the projects would help lessen the burden of unemployment and help government to accelerate economic growth, improve macro-economic stability and the welfare of its citizens.

The minister also announced that of the requested 200 tractors, 124 have been approved due to a high demand for food production in the country.

The rest of the tractors are expected to be delivered before the end of March 2012.
The ministry acquired the tractors from Hochland Tractors based in Windhoek.