The Governor of the Kavango East Region, Hamunyera Hambyuka, conducted a monitoring visit to some farms in the region.

This follows a moratorium passed in 2020 that halted leasing farms for agricultural purposes in the region.

The moratorium was passed by the then Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, Carl Schlettwein.

In a letter written to the governors of the two Kavango regions in 2020, the minister requested the regional leaders to undertake regional monitoring of all allocated leaseholds in designated areas to provide information to the ministry on farming units that are occupied, unoccupied, fully utilised and underutilised.

According to the moratorium, the minister observed concern as vast portions of communally owned land are being privatised to benefit a few individuals.

Hence, all new applications for the right of leasehold outside areas designated for agriculture were put on hold.

This applies to both the Kavango East and West regions.

The farmers expressed dissatisfaction with the moratorium, as it is hampering them from successfully farming.