The Orange River Irrigation Project along the Orange River at Aussenkehr expects improved summer agricultural production this year, despite its financial woes.
Paulus Mungoba, acting project manager, said this in an interview with nbc News.
The Orange River Irrigation Project (ORIP) farm, owned by the government, is growing a variety of vegetables, including pumpkins, butternuts, watermelon, onions, sweet melon, beetroots, and carrots.
According to Mungoba, the crop yields look very positive.
"Even though we did not get the financial injection as we wanted, we happen to get a little bit from our head office, whereby we engage our acting MD, so that at the end we must have something on the ground because workers are here; they are getting paid but they are not doing anything, and I said why can't we put some area on production so that at the end, even though we are not harvesting as much as we are supposed to, at least we have something in the coffer of the project?"
ORIP is one of the seven green schemes the government plans to lease out to the private sector for failing to run a sustainable operation.
Mungoba further revealed that the government has already sealed a lease agreement with a private investor for ORIP.
The workers, he added, are expected to remain in their jobs after the takeover of the ORIP farm operations by a private investor.
He, however, would not be drawn into giving more details.
"We happen to receive a copy of the award letters, which were awarded to one company. But at the moment, I am not really at that point to discuss that because it was done under the ministries and not really at our head office, whereby I will rely on you to comment more on that. But as far as I understand and have seen, yes, there is a company that was awarded. I think it is better for you to engage ministry, the office of the ED, so that you get more information on this."
All the crops produced are projected to generate close to half a million dollars, says Paulus.
The produce will be sold at the local market.
The ORIP farm also produces dates expected to be harvested early next year.