Most of the farmers in Zambezi practice mixed farming, where they grow crops, vegetables and ear livestock. The types of crops grown in the region are: Maize, Sorghum, Pear Millet, Beans, groundnuts and melons. Maize is grown in large quantities because it is a staple food in the region. Farmers also keep livestock e.g., Cattle, goats, poultry and pigs. Both crops and livestock are kept for home consumption and income generation. The region receives the average annual rainfall 600mm, which makes the region to have high production / yield. The region has good grazing and enough water for livestock. However due to wildlife, the Agricultural sector is always experiencing a problem of Foot and mouth disease in livestock which reduces livestock production and marketing.

A number of agricultural enterprises in Zambezi Region stand out as a relative advantage due to its access to the perennial Kwando-Linyanti-Chobe and Zambezi rivers for irrigation and as a source of fish. However, cattle farming is the most important agricultural activity in the region; other livestock includes goats, donkeys, poultry and pigs. Maize and to a lesser extent pearl millet, are produced under rain fed conditions because they are produced by smallholders for medium-scale farming operations. There is a development in a milling sector, and this increase the sign of maize and millet market in the region. Another important crop is sorghum which is mainly used for brewing, and other food crops include groundnuts, beans, pumpkins and melons. However, we have a new crop with potential in the region such as rice and are successful.

Tourism

The Trans Caprivi Highway, is an important tourist road, crosses the region from central and northern Namibia to the Chobe Game Reserve and Victoria Falls areas in Botswana and Zimbabwe respectively. On the other hand, Ngoma and Wenela border posts provide links to the neighboring countries of Botswana and Zambia.

The region is home to 450 animal species, including some of the big five, making Zambezi region a popular game-watching tourism hub. The wildlife is protected by three national parks (Bwabwata, Mudumo and Nkasa) supported by 12 registered conservancies. During the dry season the area can be reached by road but after the rains, 80% of the area becomes flooded, cutting them off from the mainland. The parks are home to small populations of sitatunga, red lechwe, hippo and crocodile that inhabit waterways. Animals to be encountered are elephant, buffalo, roan, sable, kudu, impala, oribi, zebra, wild dog as well as some 430 species of birds.

Accommodation facilities were developed such as Zambezi Waterfront, lodges; houseboats and campsite were established in strategic areas to enforce the tourism industry. A handcraft market, the Caprivi Arts and Cultural Association has been established at Katima Mulilo, while the establishment of a cultural village also attract tourist to the remote areas of the region, offering the rural population with the opportunity to market local artefact to tourists. The potential for tourism to play a significant role in the development of the region was recognized which lead to the creation of KAZA and Zambezi Basin.

Cultural diversity

The tribal groupings of the region offer a diverse cultural background that is reflected in their traditional music, dance and different types of house construction. The region has four recognized traditional authorities, namely Mafwe with its headquarters at Chinchimani, Mayeyi with headquarters and Sangwali, Mafwe with headquarters at Mayuni and Masubia with headquarters at Bukalo.

Trade and Industrial Development

There are small and medium sized enterprises industrial activities in the region, dominated by retail and tourism related businesses, whereas bakeries and butcheries are mostly found in the region. There are governmental projects to develop the trade and industry sector these are: establishment of nationwide common facility centers to provide access to high technology and expensive machinery at affordable prices; providing training opportunities; private sector feasibility study programmes to provide funds to the private sector; SME Vendor Development Programmes to expand local markets for local producers

Forestry

ince the region is characterized by high rainfall and fertile soil, it emanates to has the best woodland and mixed forest stands in Namibia. Its forest is characterized with the dominant beautiful stands of Coleospermum mopane in the middle towards the southern part of the region and the woodland dominated by Zambezi teak and Pterocarpus angolensis (Kiaat). These tree species are valued for their beautiful, quality and durable timber, lies along the border line of the Great Zambezi with Zambia that created a beautiful Zambezi state forest that stretches toward the inland and the western part of the region.

Such woodland created a conducive environment and habitat for the variety of game, hence Zambezi Region due to its good vegetation and wildlife attract enormous number of visitors annually.

It is a known factor that the region population is dynamic, hence these resources will not be in intact forever. Therefore, the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry, through the Directorate of Forestry is mandated to ensure the conservation of forest and it is resources in the region. The Directorate of Forestry has numerous projects that run concurrently to conserve the forest in the Region. These projects are community-based forest management, forest fire management, tree planting and orchard establishment, beekeeping, forest protection and conservation just to mention the few.

As to date, Zambezi Region has seven gazetted community forest areas. Name of Community Forest Constituency Size (ha) Number of beneficiaries:

1. Kwandu Kongola 20,000 3200
2. Masida Sibbinda 19,500 6000
3. Lubuta Linyanti 19,000 1000
4. Bukalo Katima rural 5,000 6000
5. Sikanjabuka Katima rural 4,000 1000
6. Sachona Linyanti 12,252 843
7. Zilitene Katima rural 8,973 1098

Source: Government Gazette, 2006, 2012 and CF management plans Apart from the community-based forest management areas, there is a state forest that stretches from the western of Katima town to Kongola along the borders of Namibia and Zambia and form its western border with Kwandu conservancy and community forest. The Zambezi Region is most likely the diverse in Namibia with three basic types of woodland-Kalahari woodland, Mopani woodland and floodplains. There are several species of trees these are bureka Africana, baikiaea plurijuga, pterocarpus angolesnsis and guibourtia coleosperma that are found in the region and they are important for hardwoods for the timber industry.

Forestry utilization is important with most people depend on these woodland resources for fuel, building material, fodder and medicine. There are several forestry projects these include inventory and monitoring as well as training in fire management and suitable utilization. Mining The Zambezi Region does not have rock formations that are rich in mineral deposits and no mining enterprises have been historically mined, accept deposits of coal that are known to underlay parts of the region. The non-exploration is as of extraction is not economically viable. However, the region still lacks information on possible minerals located in the Zambezi Region.

Inland fisheries With its relatively abundant water supply and large flood plains the Zambezi Region is well suited to the development of fish farming. Fish is a vitally important component of the diet of the people in the region. Existing stocks are already being fished to their maximum capacity so the development of this sector can only focus on increasing existing stocks or new stocks. Although native species are preferable, the use of exotic species should not be ruled out, but rather evaluated on a worst-case scenario basis, where the environmental impact of escapees is considered.

The region has 80 different spaces of inland fish with 3 aquaculture fish farms and the Zambezi bream being the most famous An increase in fish production in the region through fish farming would contribute to household food security. Surplus fish could be sold to other centers in Namibia or easily exported to the neighboring countries, thereby contributing to poverty reduction. Lack of expertise is a constraint, the office was established in the region to cater for local requirements, where training and advice could be gained and fish fingerlings could be obtained. The cultivation of freshwater organisms is not merely an extension of fishing. Without better research fish farming cannot succeed. Crocodile farming is being constructed at Kongola in Kongola constituency,aiming at exporting the produce and its byproducts.