Feature: Small-scale dairy farmers making a difference in Namibia

Okakarara area, about 250 km from the capital Windhoek, is one of the driest areas in Namibia.

The forests are clothed with thorny trees that endure the harsh vagaries of the desert climate.

Most people do not have much to do but sit in the shade drinking and waiting for time to carry them through.

It is here where Jackson Hindjou owns a farm where he rears cattle and harvests milk.

Hindjou is one of the Namibians who have managed to break into the dairy sector.

Namibia relies heavily on milk imports such that last year, the government through the Ministry of Trade and Industry had to approach the courts to limit the milk imports quantities.

The move was meant to protect small and local dairy farmers like Hindjou against multinational companies that imports milk into Namibia.

Government asked the courts to limit the quantities to 500,000 litres per month for milk and cream and 200,000 litres per month for cultured milk products.

The court initially granted government the restriction order against Clover Dairy Namibia, Parmalat and Matador Enterprises, but lifted the ban later.

Now with determined communal dairy farmers like Hindjou, the dairy sector could contribute immensely in reducing milk products imports.

And Hindjou, whose motto is "Striving for Excellence", says he will not stopping at anything. Hindjou has set up a milk shop -- Ndjoura Fresh Milk Shop -- in the nearby town, Omaruru, which is about 80 km from his communal farm.

In addition to the milk shop, he has employed three people to sell sour and fresh milk in the surrounding villages.

One of his products is omaere, a specially prepared sour milk which is very popular in Namibia.

Talking about omaere, Hindjou said dairy farmers should provide people with like high butterfat raw milk.

Namibian Dairies, the sole distributor of milk products in the country has recognised Hindjou's efforts by donating a fridge to the shop and a bull to service the cows.

With the current poor rainfall in most parts of the country, Namibian farmers are experiencing difficulties in keeping their livestock. Lack of fodder has also seen a decrease in milk production.

But despite all these challenges, Hindjou says he sees these challenges as opportunities for providing services to the people.

He also says farmers should keep their milk producing livestock healthy if they want to harvest more and for a long time.

Apart from keeping livestock healthy, Hindjou says there is need to register a dairy project with Namibia Dairies as well as working with other parties in the milk sector.

"It is of utmost importance that the infrastructural support is there and that especially the milking and cooling structures at the production site are 100 percent in order," he says.

Although he has managed to break through, Hindjou says the dairy sector needs qualified staff as well as good dairy herd.

"Poor genetic makeup of the dairy herd leads to low productivity and support is needed in the form of dairy bulls for cross-breeding purposes," he says.

In addition, operating in a communal set up also comes with various challenges among them poor road network, lack of transport and unavailability of refrigeration facilities.

He proposes that communal dairy farmers should be funded so that they can realise their potential. Endi