Reagan Malumo
10 October 2008
Katima Mulilo — A rice project along the banks of the Zambezi River in the Caprivi Region could soon produce enough rice to feed the entire country.
This would be possible when the project goes into full production sometime this year after studies ascertained full-scale production is viable.
Since independence, Caprivi's potential as the country's breadbasket has dominated talk shows though little has been done to harness this massive agricultural potential and largely untapped breadbasket.
Commercial rice production at the Kalimbeza Rice Project is expected to start this year.
Minister of Agriculture, Water and Forestry, John Mutorwa; Minister of Presidential Affairs and Attorney General, Dr Albert Kawana; Indonesian Ambassador to Namibia, Leonardus Widayatmo; University of Namibia Vice Chancellor, Professor Lazarus Angula; agricultural scientists, engineers and journalists visited the Kalimbeza Agricultural Research Station to mark the finalisation of rice production research by Unam as well as assess the viability to start mass rice production at Kalimbeza.
According to research on rice cultivation at the Kalimbeza Rice Project conducted by agricultural specialist and Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources of Unam's Ogongo Campus, Luke Kanyomeka, production of rice at Kalimbeza is very impressive with yields ranging from 5.8 to 8.5 tonnes per hectare.
Kalimbeza's rice yield per hectare is so high it surpasses the average production of rice for all major rice producing countries in the world according to preliminary studies.
Kanyomeka told the delegation that the world average rice yield is 3 tonnes per hectare whereas Japan, which is one of the most highly mechanised rice-producing countries in the world, has an average of 6 tonnes per hectare, all of which falls bellow the average production that could be produced at the Kalimbeza Rice Project.
"This shows great potential for rice farming at the Kalimbeza Rice Project and the Caprivi Region as a whole," emphasized Kanyomeka. He stated that the high yields obtained at Kalimbeza Rice Project are mainly due to high and humid temperatures in the area.
Research also indicates that tropical areas produce relatively high yields of rice. The rice cultivars recommended at Kalimbeza are also tall enough to stand the floods that are almost an annual problem in the area. It also states that rice could be a lifeline to the areas that are prone to floods in Caprivi Region.
Experimental cultivation of rice at Kalimbeza was done and recommendations were made for about four cultivars of rice from Zambia and Brazil. The Zambian cultivars are Supa rice that experts say holds similarities with Tastic rice, a popular brand.
It has a plant height of 137 centimetres and growth duration of 146 days and a paddy yield of 6.2 tonnes per 0.4 hectares. Another Zambian cultivar recommended for Kalimbeza is the Blue Bonnet Rice with a plant height of 133 centimetres, growth duration of 132 days and paddy yield of 5.8 tonnes per 0.1 hectares. The Brazilian cultivars are IRGA418 with a plant height of 94 centimeters, growth duration of 112 days and paddy yield of 5.8 tonnes per 0.4 hectares. Another Brazilian cultivar recommended has a very high paddy yield of 8.5 tonnes per 0.3 hectare, and has a plant height of 100 centimetres with growth duration of 116 days.
Though the Kalimbeza Rice Project is considered a solution to fast-track Namibia's food crisis, the research established that the project faces major constraints that need to be addressed as quickly as possible.
These include repairs and provision of tractors to the project, provision of implements such as one big plow, repairs of disc harrows, a plow and rotavator that are not working. A second pump for the old fields needs to be installed and repair of the main drainage canal in the field to aid the current irrigation system has to be undertaken.
The project also needs a vehicle and tractor for transportation.
The fence is damaged and needs to be repaired, access roads need to be renovated and a processing plant has to be installed.
Researchers also recommend that highly qualified management be relocated to the site to ensure smooth success of the project.
Recruited farmers have to be allocated land so that they can start producing rice.
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