Tractor breakdowns a major challenge at Sikondo

There has been an increase in breakdowns due to the age of the tractors at the Sikondo green scheme in the Kavango West Region, the manager of the green scheme, Maxwell Nghidinua has said.

Ngidinua made the statement recently when the Kavango West Regional Council visited the green scheme.

“The tractors at Sikondo have been operating for more than 12 years. Just like anything else, when it’s new it works very well and gives you good returns. However, as the tractors are getting older, the frequency of breakdowns is high,” he said.

This has increased maintenance costs and decreased efficiency in production, the manager noted.

“It also leads to stopping the planting operation and then you have to wait for two weeks. A government project of this magnitude cannot have such inefficiencies,” he said.

Meanwhile, Nghidinua said this year, the green scheme planted 7.5 hectares of potatoes which they would like to increase to 10 hectares next season. The crop however has to be observed first to see what risks it could involve as it is a technical crop, he noted.

The planting of potatoes will create casual employment as the farm usually recruits up to 100 casual workers during planting.

On his part, the Chairperson of the Kavango West Regional Council, Joseph Sivaku called on the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform to avail more petty cash to green schemes.

Sivaku suggested that the farms be given N.dollars 30 000 quarterly to be used on repairing implements and tractors. He said schools are able to manage petty cash of around N.dollars 100 000, thus the same system should be implemented in green schemes.

Sivaku further suggested that a committee, including members of the regional council, be established to facilitate procurement issues for the green schemes.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency