by Ndalimpinga Iita
WINDHOEK, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Kaura Kaura, a farmer from Namibia's Otjozondjupa region, runs a dairy farm supplying milk to state hospitals and school hostels.
Even though business has flourished, Kaura is grappling with mechanizing his agricultural venture to mitigate the effects of a persistent dry spell.
Namibia's agriculture sector suffered heavy losses due to a drought, which was declared by Namibian President Hage Geingob in May this year as a state of emergency.
As luck would have it for him, Kaura is participating in the first China Agricultural Training Course aimed to help capacitate Namibian small-scale farmers to increase productivity.
A total of seven farmers are being trained on unconventional farming techniques of potato, hybrid millet cultivation, breeding as well as agriculture machinery.
The project is implemented by the Namibian Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry, Chinese Zhangjiakou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and Beijing Hi-Technology Energy Investment.
Ma Hui, an official from the Zhangjiakou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, said that the training also introduces farmers to the use and application of some agricultural machinery generally used in rural China.
"We are hoping to contribute to the improvement of Namibia millet and potato planting levels," Ma said.
Kaura had never imagined that the course would be transformative.
"Dairy farming comes with all the horticultural developments associated with it because one needs to feed animals. I am gaining news skills from the Chinese-Namibia training on agriculture which would enable me to elevate my enterprise," said Kaura.
For Kaura, the initiative serves as an excellent opportunity for small-scale farmers like himself to gain hands-on experience that will aid in increased yields and proceeds.
"I will be able to improve farming methods and mechanisms, and hopefully soon to introduce new technology in my farming," said Kaura.
Moses Kanhinda, a coordinator in the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry, said that the training is timely, with Namibia hard hit by the prevailing drought condition.
"With the training of this kind, we are trying to help our farmers to become resistant to climate change. So that, when the conditions become normal and when we happen to have good rain, we know what to plant and produce," Kanhinda said.
Moreover, the China Agricultural Training Course complements the projects the ministry already have in place, such as the national horticulture support program, which was also intended to help capacitate small scale farmers, according to the government official.
The Zhangjiakou Academy of Agricultural Sciences has held seven similar international training courses on dry farming for Asian and African developing countries since 2009. More than 200 technicians from more than 30 developing countries have been trained.
