The Neckartal Dam Irrigation Scheme is set to receive N$10 million earmarked for irrigation development in the 2023/24 financial year
This was after Agriculture, Water and Land Reform (MAWLR) Minister Calle Schlettwein made a budget proposal of N$10 million that will see the commencement of irrigation activities.
The new funds are part of the project’s second phase. The first phase cost the government more than N$5.6 billion in construction, making it the biggest dam in the country with the view of collecting water and being used for irrigation and farming purposes. The dam has a holding capacity of 857 million cubic metres.
“Land for both the construction of the dam and the irrigation phase has to be acquired,” said Schlettwein while responding to questions posed by the leader of Landless People’s Movement (LPM) Bernadus Swartbooi.
The LPM leader wanted to know the rationale and approaches used to purchase land for irrigation yet it is not suitable for the intended irrigation purposes for which it was acquired.
“Phase I of the Project, that is, the construction of the dam has since been completed and handed over to the Government. The next phase is the development of the Irrigation Project, which entails the acquisition of land for the related water distribution infrastructure and irrigation area itself. Several farms in the proximity of the dam are earmarked to be acquired for all the related purposes of actualising a large-scale irrigation project, such as servitude, the balancing dam, water distribution infrastructure and the irrigation area,” said the Minister.
He added that the government has so far secured 11,000 hectares of land of which 5,000 hectares will be used for irrigation, and the other for livestock farming and feedlots, among others.
Schlettwein said his Ministry conducted a feasibility study in April 2010 to determine the suitability of irrigation soils.
“The study identified more than 5,000ha of irrigable land both sides of the South and North of the B4 road between Keetmanshoop and Luderitz, east of Seeheim. The soils were classified according to a five-class system, of which only Classes 1 and 2 were considered as eligible and deemed suitable for irrigation purposes. Class 3 soils were also regarded suitable but can only become suitable after a rectification of the soil’s limitations which may be costly,” he explained.
Adding that, the soils in the area generally have a high fine sand content with a reasonable silt content, but the clay content is mostly very low.
“The application of gypsum may be required to prevent dispersion and suitable surface drainage will be required to prevent erosion,” he reasoned.
Farm Schlangkopf measuring 1830ha, Schaapplaats (370ha) and Farm Dagbreek (1,050ha) including a 1,000ha of Class 3 soil that may be acceptable, were identified as suitable class 1 and 2 for irrigation.
“The total area of irrigable land is therefore estimated to be approximately 4,250ha or 85 percent of the required 5,000ha. Additional suitable areas will still have to be confirmed to ensure a 5,000ha irrigation area,” he stated.
“It is incorrect to categorise the land acquired as wasteland as water distribution infrastructure and other logistics do not have to be constructed on irrigable land. As I stated, our decision to acquire the said farms was guided by the technical soil suitability assessment findings. Investment in, and operation of the green schemes, entail a host of other ancillary infrastructure across the value chain for which land is needed,” emphasised Schlettwein.
Adding: “Hence other value chain activities such as feedlots, cold rooms and intensive animal farming could be carried out on other portions of land which a layman’s eye could regard as wasteland. As I am concluding on this question, it is important to know that the soils or lands not suitable for irrigation today does not mean it cannot be used for other purposes in the future or to be improved to make it suitable for irrigation purposes and other land uses.”
