The Omaheke Regional Council, in collaboration with the Office of the Prime Minister, has started clearing a 13-hectare piece of land earmarked for a community garden.

The land is on the outskirts of Talismanus in the Otjombinde Constituency. 

81 young people have commenced with the work of land clearing and fencing off of the land.

Otjombinde Councillor Wenzel Kavaka said two boreholes have been drilled at the site to provide water for the project.

Work on the land will commence as soon as land preparation is done.

"Another thing that we had to look at is the sustainability of this project after the OPM is complete with their funding here. Then this thing will be handed over to the community for the community to run this project. We don't want, after three years or two years from here, when the country is hit by the drought, that we will not have the government also to buy for us food or whatsoever."

Kavaka reiterated that the community garden will work hard to also supply food to soup kitchens and community hostels in the region. 

Another project they are looking into is animal husbandry.

Kavaka implored stakeholders to support the initiative to ensure sustainability.

On behalf of the group, Lena Tjijenda welcomed the initiative and called upon her peers to capitalise on every opportunity.

"We are really happy for that, as most of us are just youth, and we don't have jobs to do, and we are just sitting at the village, and we have nothing to do, so now we are keeping ourselves busy, and we will do the planting, it is on us also."