Potato farming boosts community, but market struggles persist
Maria Ashipala produces potatoes, cabbage, and tomatoes across three hectares at the Etunda irrigation farm in the Omusati region, following the start of experimental potato cultivation earlier this year. The vegetable grower, who has farmed since the 1990s without formal employment, donated 50 cabbages to Wisdom Private School and 100 to the holding cells at Oshifo Police Station this week, following strong harvests. She acknowledged community backing as essential to her success, despite water shortages and extreme temperatures that complicate daily operations.
Ashipala said retail chains purchase locally only when import supplies run low, forcing producers to sell roadside or to wedding caterers while crops spoil from lack of buyers. She encouraged women to pursue agriculture to generate family income and ensure food security. The farmer highlighted potatoes as profitable because consumers need them year-round, though the crop requires constant monitoring and careful management throughout the growing cycle.
