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Women in business co-operative’s tilapia farming and orchard irrigation gets boost from Development Bank

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Development Bank of Namibia

The Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) recently donated N$150,000 towards the construction of a dam for the Tegako 2020 Women in Business co-operative, which will be used for tilapia farming and irrigation of an orchard of 500 trees and vegetable plots.

Tegako 2020 Women in Business Co-operative is a group of visionary women from Olulongo in the Oshana Region. The co-operative benefits widows, pensioners, orphans, those living with HIV and AIDS and others, engages primarily in traditional income generating activities, of which tilapia aquaculture is one.

Martin Inkumbi, CEO of the bank said the co-operative has good potential to uplift the livelihood of this group of rural women, their families and the surrounding community.

“The dam will provide food security to members of the Tegako Co-operative, I hope that tilapia catches would be productive enough to also provide an income to Tegako, and make the co-operative self-sustaining,” Inkumbi said.

Inkumbi also linked Tegako to sustainable agricultural practices, adding that the agricultural industry is vital to reduce rural poverty.

Further talking about the significance of dams, Inkumbi said that water storage represents a current resource for the economy but is also critical for providing a buffer against drought and the value of dams lies in catering to the water requirements of future generations.

“The project fulfills four of the Bank’s six pillars of corporate social investment. It provides an exemplary means of poverty alleviation but also skills development, community health and environmental benefits,” Inkumbi said

Development Bank of Namibia