06 Jul 2026

In Ngamiland, where dry spells are prolonged with shrinking water sources and frequent elephant invasions threatening agricultural production, farmers are compelled to fully explore the agricultural value chain, diversify the sector and engage proactive strategies to curtail challenges.  

For many rural households, resilience may lie not in doing more of the same, but in embracing farming systems that work together toward diversifying the sector.

The idea behind coming with means to turn the sector into a viable undertaking despite challenges of wildlife and climate change dominated discussions during the Chanoga Agri-Capacity Building Training Initiative on Thursday.

Farmers were urged to rethink agriculture by integrating crop production, livestock farming and other complementary enterprises to strengthen food security and improve livelihoods.

Delivering the keynote address at the training, acting North West District Agriculture Coordinator, Mr Erick Mesho said agriculture remained the backbone of livelihoods in rural communities and should be practiced as a connected system in which every enterprise supports another.

He said rather than relying on a single source of production, farmers should develop diversified farming systems that maximise available resources, reduce losses and create sustainable sources of income throughout the year.

“The different enterprises within agriculture should complement one another if we are to build resilient farming systems capable of withstanding today’s challenges,” he said.

Mr Mesho observed that climate change had increasingly exposed farmers to unpredictable weather patterns, recurring drought and water shortage, making it necessary for producers to adopt more adaptive and sustainable farming practices.

He further said the capacity-building initiative was designed to equip farmers with practical knowledge to address production challenges while strengthening farmers’ associations through improved leadership and management skills.

Beyond discussions on production, participants were introduced to practical methods of protecting crops from wildlife, particularly elephants, whose destruction of fields continue to undermine farming efforts in many parts of Ngamiland.

Eco-exist Education Coordinator, Mr Maipelo Molatlhegi demonstrated a range of non-lethal elephant deterrent methods, including electric fencing, chilli fences, chilli bricks, solar-powered lighting, spike barriers and the strategic use of tin cans to discourage elephants from entering crop fields.

Mr Molatlhegi encouraged farmers to work together to ensure food security in the country as well as to be able to defeat the many challenges that farmers face in the fields.

“Elephants are intelligent animals that quickly learn where food is available, therefore, farmers should combine different deterrent methods and remain consistent in maintaining them rather than relying on a single solution,” he said.

He further taught farmers to distinguish between warning behavior and an actual charge, noting that elephants often spread their ears, raise their heads and vocalise as a warning before advancing.

For her part, a farmer at Chanoga, Ms Gakeolatlhe Maphane welcomed the idea of collaboration among farmers, saying it was a positive initiative that could help achieve food security in Ngamiland.

She emphasised that farmers should work together to strengthen one another’s weaknesses and prevent challenges from overwhelming them, noting that teamwork in farming would also help improve yields. ENDS