Rundu is the capital and largest city of the Kavango-East Region in northern Namibia . It lies on the border with Angola on the banks of the Kavango River about 1,000 metres (3,300 feet) above sea level . Rundu's population is growing rapidly. The 2001 census counted 36,964 inhabitants; and for the 2011 census it has climbed to 63,430.
48-557: In 1936, it became the seat of the local governor as it replaced Nkurenkuru as capital of the Kavango district. The town has since grown into a multilingual city of the Kavango region by then now is for Kavango East and only recently its official status was changed to that of a town. Since 1993, its St. Mary's Cathedral is the episcopal seat of the Roman Catholic Apostolic Vicariate of Rundu . Rundu
96-701: A base of the South African Defence Force . Since independence of Namibia in 1990 and in particularly since an ongoing decentralisation policy, Nkurenkuru has gained some investments. In 2006 Nkurenkuru was declared a town and was the second urban centre of the Kavango Region . When in August 2013 the Kavango Region was split into two, Nkurenkuru became the capital of the newly created Kavango West Region. Since then it has been
144-423: A centre that provides support for students who are studying on distance. There are six secondary schools in the town: Rundu Secondary School , Dr. Alpo Mbamba Secondary School, Dr. Romanus Kampungu Secondary School, Elias Neromba Senior Secondary School, Noordgrens, and Kamunoko Secondary School. Rundu is twinned : Nkurenkuru Nkurenkuru (1.093 m above sea level) is a town on the south-western banks of
192-469: A food extruder, the mahangu is milled into a paste before being forced through metal die . Products made this way include breakfast cereals, including puffed grains and porridge , pasta shapes, and "rice". Pearl millet is also a vital feedstock for cattle, goats and chickens which can also be explored as an enterprise. Recently more productive varieties of pearl millet have been introduced, enabling farmers to increase production considerably. To combat
240-428: A hot semi-arid climate, the area experiences high diurnal temperature variation during the winter with average high temperatures at roughly 26 °C (79 °F) and average low temperatures at 6 °C (43 °F). This large swing in daily temperature is more commonplace among areas with cold semi-arid climates. During the summer, the diurnal temperature variation is less pronounced. The average annual precipitation
288-1373: A mean of 8 g. The height of the plant ranges from 0.5–4 metres (1 ft 8 in – 13 ft 1 in). Also known as 'Bajra' in Hindi and Urdu , 'Sajje' in Kannada , 'Kambu' in Tamil , 'Sajjalu' in Telugu , 'Bajeer' in Kumaoni , 'Bajri' in Gujarati and 'Maiwa' in Hausa , 'Mexoeira' in Mozambique , 'Baajri' in Marathi , 'Za' in the Dagbani language of Ghana, 'Zuk' in Tyap of Nigeria, 'Mawele' in Swahili , 'Mwere' in Meru language of Kenya, 'Mahangu' in Kwanyama of Namibia. Sona in Fur Language of Darfur, Sudan. Pearl millet
336-528: A nearby border post. The history of Nkurenkuru (formerly also Kuring Kuru ), Kwangali language : „the old place” , is closely linked with the history of the Kwangali people, the westernmost of the five kingdoms of the Kavango people . The currently oldest deliverances date around the middle of the 18th century, when Uukwangali queen ( hompa ) Mate I. and her people left their former area of settlement on
384-587: A protection agreement ( Schutzvertrag ) with general authority for the government in Windhuk and land ownership of the kings. In response to those forts on the northern side of the river, the German administration opened a police station in Nkurenkuru on June 17, 1910, which over the following years mainly assumed representative tasks. With the outbreak of World War I and a murdered German delegation at Naulila ,
432-403: Is 568 mm (22 in), although in the 2010/2011 rainy season 757 millimetres (29.8 in) were measured. Rundu Open Market is the most well-known and biggest open market in the town. It was founded in 1996 through cooperation between the government of Namibia and the government of Luxembourg . Rundu Airport , mostly used for tourism and cargo, is 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) southwest of
480-555: Is a common food across the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the second important food for Tamil people consumed predominantly in the hot humid summer months from February through May every year. It is made into a gruel and consumed along with buttermilk or consumed as dosa or idly . Pearl millet is called bajra in Northern Indian states. There was a time when pearl millets along with finger millets and sorghum were
528-455: Is a popular drink in northern Nigeria and southern Niger. Pearl millet is a food widely used in Borno state and its surrounding states, it is the most widely grown and harvested crop. There are many products that are obtained from the processing of the crop. In Namibia , pearl millet is locally known as "mahangu" and is grown mainly in the north of that country, where it is the staple food . In
SECTION 10
#1732765798154576-457: Is governed by a town council that has seven seats. The 2015 local authority election was won by SWAPO which gained five seats (6,973 votes). One seat each went to the local Rundu Concerned Citizens Association (1,043 votes) and the All People's Party (APP, 973 votes). SWAPO also won the 2020 local authority election , obtaining 3,548 votes and gaining four seats. One seat each went to
624-433: Is grown on over 260,000 square kilometres (100,000 sq mi) of land worldwide. It accounts for about 50% of the total world production of millets. World production of millets has been stable during the 1980s. According to FAO, 39.4 million hectares (97 million acres) of millet were planted in 1987 with an average production of only 704 kilograms per hectare (628 lb/acre). Pearl millet varieties from
672-890: Is home to many woodcarvers and features a woodcarver's market near the open market. Several local restaurants serve traditional food, including mahangu , ground nuts, stewed meats, and fish from the Okavango River. There are five tertiary Institutions in Rundu, namely the University of Namibia , the Institute of Open Learning (IOL), the Rundu Vocational Training Centre, the Namibia College of Open Learning (NAMCOL) and Triumphant College. The Namibia University of Sciences and Technology has
720-1008: Is known to be involved in tolerance to abiotic stresses in pearl millet. The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics is evaluating crop wild relatives and will introgress abiotic tolerant traits into cultivated genotypes and make them available for pearl millet improvement. A 2015 study provided a genetic map . Insect pests include Anoecia corni , An. cornicola , Anoecia fulviabdominalis , An. vagans , Aphis gossypii , Forda hirsuta , F. orientalis , Geoica utricularia , Hysteroneura setariae , Melanaphis sacchari , Protaphis middletonii , Rhopalosiphum maidis , R. rufiabdominale , Schizaphis graminum , Sipha elegans , Sipha maydis , Sitobion avenae , Sit. leelamaniae , Sit. pauliani , Tetraneura africana , Tetraneura basui , Tetraneura fusiformis , and T. yezoensis . The larvae of several insect species, primarily belonging to
768-554: Is reported as a millet pest, as well as Dysdercus volkeri , Heliocheilus albipunctella , Coniesta ignefusalis , and caterpillars of Amsacta moloneyi and Helicoverpa armigera . In northern Nigeria, heavy infestations of Hycleus species, including Hycleus terminatus (syn. Mylabris afzelli ), Hycleus fimbriatus (syn. Mylabris fimbriatus ), Hycleus hermanniae (syn. Coryna hermanniae ), and Hycleus chevrolati (syn. Coryna chevrolati ), have affected early plantings of pearl millet crops. In South India, pests include
816-497: Is served with various types of kadhi and bhaaji. In Namibia, pearl millet flour is used to make Oshifima , a staple food in northern part of Namibia. India is the largest producer of pearl millet. India began growing pearl millet between 1500 and 1100 BCE. It is currently unknown how it made its way to India, but it likely arrived originally from across Africa, and via the Red Sea during Indus Valley Trade networks. Rajasthan
864-631: Is the highest-producing state in India. The first hybrid of pearl millet developed in India in 1965 is called the HB1. Sajje is the local name of the pearl millet in Karnataka and is mostly grown in the semiarid districts of North Karnataka. Sajje is milled and used for making flatbread called 'sajje rotti' and is eaten with yennegai (stuffed brinjal ) and yogurt . Kambu is the Tamil name of pearl millet and
912-471: Is usually grown as an intercrop with sorghum and cowpea , the different growth habits, growth period and drought vulnerability of the three crops maximising total productivity and minimising the risk of total crop failure. It is often ground into a flour, rolled into large balls, parboiled, liquefied into a watery paste using fermented milk, and then consumed as a beverage. This beverage, called "fura" in Hausa,
960-586: Is well adapted to growing areas characterized by drought , low soil fertility, low moisture, and high temperature. It performs well in soils with high salinity or low pH. Because of its tolerance to difficult growing conditions, it can be grown in areas where other cereal crops, such as maize or wheat , would not survive. Pearl millet is a summer annual crop well-suited for double cropping and rotations. The grain and forage are valuable as food and feed resources in Africa, Russia, India and China. Today, pearl millet
1008-506: The 2015 local authority election in Nkurenkuru by a landslide, gaining all seven municipal council seats with 1,303 votes. The Democratic Turnhalle Alliance (DTA) and the Republican Party (RP) also ran and gained 35 and 32 votes, respectively. The 2020 local authority election saw the same result. SWAPO gained 1,050 votes and won all seven seats. Mahangu Pearl millet ( Cenchrus americanus , commonly known as
SECTION 20
#17327657981541056-611: The Kavango River . It is the capital of the Kavango West Region of northern Namibia , located 140 kilometres (87 mi) west of Rundu . It is also a former mission station of the Finnish Missionary Society . Nkurenkuru has a population of around 10,261 (in 2023) inhabitants and is homestead of the local Uukwangali kings. Until 1936 it has been the capital of the region, after which
1104-573: The Kwando River near Mashi and moved about 500 km to the west into an area near Makuzu 17°29′0″S 18°28′0″E / 17.48333°S 18.46667°E / -17.48333; 18.46667 , around 20 km to the northwest of Nkurenkuru. Successor of Queen Mate I. became hompa Nankali (1750–1775). During her reign tensions arose with neighboring people and the Kwangali moved from Mazuku first to Sihangu near Mukukuta and then further to Karai (nearby today's Cuangar ). Likely during
1152-506: The Katutura area. These houses are mainly two bedroom homes with large backyards even though they are situated next to the central business district. On the west is Tutungeni, which means "let's build". This area was previously occupied by executives of the white-dominated businessplace, but now it is open for any willing buyer in need of a quiet neighbourhood. On the East is Safari. There are
1200-759: The Rundu Concerned Citizens Association (863 votes), the Rundu Urban Community Commission (386 votes), and the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), an opposition party formed in August 2020, that gained 321 votes. Many of Rundu's residents live in shacks . In 2020 the town had a total of 18,219 of these informal housing structures, accommodating more than 76,000 inhabitants, more than the most recent (2011) census reported as total population figure. The oldest houses in Rundu are located in
1248-558: The dry, unpredictable climate of this area it grows better than alternatives such as maize . The regions in which this crop is produced are: Zambezi, Kavango East, Kavango West, Ohangwena, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, and; in parts of the Otjozondjupa region, in the Tsumkwe area. Mahangu is usually made into a porridge called "oshifima" (or "oshithima"), or fermented to make a drink called "ontaku" or "oshikundu". Traditionally,
1296-586: The formal suburbs, shanty towns symbolise the rapid urbanisation of the town and high unemployment rates. Kehemu (Ghetto), Kaisosi (also known by the locals as Cali), Sauyemwa (SA), and Ndama are the most informal areas while a fourth, Donkerhoek (Dark Corner), is rapidly becoming formal since the start of the Build Together Campaign in 1992. Rundu has a hot semi-arid climate ( Köppen : BSh ), with hot summers and relatively mild winters (with warm days and chilly to cool nights). Even though it has
1344-1002: The kernel is a naked caryopsis . Values are expressed on a dry matter basis. Pearl millet is commonly used to make bhakri flatbread. It is also boiled to make a Tamil porridge called kamban choru or kamban koozh . In Rajasthani cuisine bajre ki khatti rabdi is a traditional dish made with pearl millet flour and yogurt . It is usually made in summers to be served along with meals. Flatbreads made of pearl millet flour, known as bajhar ji maani or bajre ki roti (बाजरे की रोटी) in Punjab , Rajasthan and Haryana , bajrichi bhakri (बाजरीची भाकरी) in Maharashtra and bajra no rotlo (બાજરા નો રોટલો) in Gujarat , India, are served with various types of kadhi and bhaaji in meals. Bajhar ji maani prepared in Tharparkar, Sindh
1392-435: The largest projects currently under way are the asphaltation of the river road to Rundu as well as an irrigation project for a more efficient agricultural use of the surrounding farmland. Since then, additional private investments have also followed — like the opening of additional shops and banks as well as lodges and guest houses along the river. Nkurenkuru has a health centre. In 2020 a small COVID-19 isolation facility
1440-428: The local mission chief of Ovamboland, Isak Alho, along with Eetu Järvinen, who had visited the place the previous year. The mission station was established near the local government station. The first missionary in Nkurenkuru was Eetu Järvinen, who arrived there on New Year's Day, 1929, in order to build the main building of the mission station. The first permanent missionary, Aatu Järvinen (later Järvineva), arrived on
1488-585: The mahangu is pounded with heavy pieces of wood in a 'pounding area'. The floor of the pounding area is covered with a concrete-like coating made from the material of termite mounds. As a result, some sand and grit gets into the pounded mahangu, so products like oshifima are usually swallowed without chewing. After pounding, winnowing may be used to remove the chaff . Some industrial grain processing facilities now exist, such as those operated by Namib Mills . Efforts are also being made to develop smaller scale processing using food extrusion and other methods. In
Rundu - Misplaced Pages Continue
1536-456: The middle-priced houses built in the 1970s. These three main localities dominated Rundu residential life until the turn of the millennium in 2000, when new housing projects by O'B Davids Properties built a new residential area called Millennium Park. After which two others have been built by the NHE, Queens and Kings Parks respectively. Recently a new formal location was added called Rainbow Outside
1584-467: The new League of Nations mandate government of South West Africa , but already in 1936 the administration was moved to Rundu , which was also chosen as the new district capital. Consequently, during the following 50 years Nkurenkuru fell into increasing insignificance. Compared to many other towns in Namibia, Nkurenkuru was underdeveloped at independence . The town suffered from bad infrastructure and
1632-541: The north side of the river, the Portuguese started with the construction of a number of forts; among others Fort Cuangar , directly opposite of the residence of the Kwangali kings. On the south side, a number of military and missionary expeditions were carried out along the river. On August 17, 1909, Berengar von Zastrow, for the German administration, and King Himarua (1886–1910), for the Uukwangali hompas, signed
1680-515: The only self-governed settlement of that region. Since independence in 1990, Nkurenkuru gained little from national infrastructure improvements. Only with an ongoing decentralisation policy of the government, which is to counterbalance rural migration, Nkurenkuru gained more economic prosperity. With the proclamation as a town , Nkurenkuru received means for the establishment of a municipal administration and additional means for infrastructure and public services, which also led to more workplaces. Among
1728-572: The orders Coleoptera , Lepidoptera , Diptera , and Hemiptera , as well as Orthoptera adults, are persistent pearl millet pests in the Sahel . The following pest species are reported for northern Mali. Grasshoppers that frequently attack millets in the Dogon country of Mali are Oedaleus senegalensis , Kraussaria angulifera , Cataloipus cymbiferus , and Diabolocatantops axillaris . In northern Ghana, Poophilus costalis (spittle bug)
1776-420: The police station was used to launch an attack on Fort Cuangar on October 31, 1914, in which all present 30 Portuguese and Angolan soldiers were killed. With the end of the war the station was closed and first replaced by a temporary British occupation and from April 1921 onwards by a permanent governor for the newly established Kavango district. The new local government resulted in an extended political presence of
1824-414: The political unrest in neighboring Angola. The economy of Nkurenkuru was characterized by small farmers with only few general services: a post office, two schools, a small hospital and a petrol station. Nkurenkuru had only a few other shops. The Finnish Missionary Society began its work in Kavango at Nkurenkuru from the beginning of 1929. Nkurenkuru had been chosen as the first Finnish mission station by
1872-637: The problem of micronutrient malnutrition in Africa and Asia, a study of serving iron- biofortified pearl millets which is bred conventionally without genetic modification to a control group is proved to have higher level of iron absorbance by the group. Around 1000 pearl millet genotypes (including 31 wild genotypes) have been sequenced, identifying the genetic diversity of this staple crop and aiding breeding to select for particular characteristics. A reference genotype of pearl millet ( Tift 23D2B1-P1-P5 ) has been fully sequenced, which holds around 38,579 genes. Some of these genes are for wax biosynthesis , which
1920-456: The reign of hompa Siremo , Nkurenkuru was founded in 1820 and became homestead of the kings under King Mpande in 1880. On December 30, 1886, Portugal and Germany signed a bilateral agreement, in which the borders between Angola and South West Africa were defined along the Okavango River. The tribes of the Kavango people, who at this time settled on both sides of the river, were informed about this new territorial setting only afterwards. On
1968-746: The scene on 8 June 1929, together with his wife Alma. In 1931 they were joined by Anna Rautaheimo, who was a nurse, and Kyllikki Alava. In 1990 the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN) founded a secondary school in Nkurenkuru with the aid of the Finnish Missionary Society. For a number of years the school has had some Finnish teachers teaching e.g. the natural sciences. During the Angolan Civil War (1975–2002) Nkurenkuru became home for
Rundu - Misplaced Pages Continue
2016-520: The seat of the regional government was moved to Rundu, due to its strategically more central location. In 2013 it became a regional capital again, of the newly created Region of Kavango West. Nkurenkuru is the smallest town in Namibia, and the only self-governed settlement in the Region of Kavango West. On the opposite, north-eastern banks of the river lies Cuangar in Angola and the two towns are linked via
2064-540: The staple food crops in these states but it reduced to a mere cattle fodder crop after the Green Revolution in the 1960s. The second largest producer of pearl millet and the first to start cultivation, Africa has been successful in bringing back this lost crop. Pearl millet is an important food across the Sahel region of Africa. It is a main staple (along with sorghum ) in a large region of northern Nigeria , Niger , Mali and Burkina Faso . In Nigeria it
2112-544: The synonym Pennisetum glaucum ) is the most widely grown type of millet . It has been grown in Africa and the Indian subcontinent since prehistoric times. The center of diversity, and suggested area of domestication , for the crop is in the Sahel zone of West Africa . Recent archaeobotanical research has confirmed the presence of domesticated pearl millet on the Sahel zone of northern Mali between 2500 and 2000 BC. 2023
2160-649: The town. The Rundu State Hospital is situated in the center of the town, off Markus Siwarongo street. It's the largest hospital in Kavango East . There is a military base of the Namibian Defence Force in Rundu. Built in 1972 and expanded in 1976, while South West Africa was under South African occupation, it houses 1,600 soldiers. The base was named Voito Jason Kondjeleni Military Base , after People's Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN) fighter Voito Jason Kondjeleni who died in 1983. Rundu
2208-614: The world collection probably have more variation in physical characteristics than any other millet. Kernel shape has different classifications: obovate, hexagonal, lanceolate , globular and elliptical. In Africa, pearl millet is classified as either globular or lanceolate and hexagonal. Most of the millets are very similar to each other in basic structures, although there are some very specific differences. The composition of variety Changara of pearl millet can be affected by both environment and genetics. Pearl millet usually has higher protein and fat contents than sorghum or other millets because
2256-595: Was added. Nepara Airfield ( ICAO Code: FYNP), a former base of the South African Air Force , lies around 20 km southwest of Nkurenkuru and is used as a commercial airport for Nkurenkuru. About 35 km to the northwest lies the Katwitwi border post, from which a road leads further to Menongue in Angola. Nkurenkuru is governed by a town council that currently has seven seats. SWAPO won
2304-566: Was the International Year of Millets , declared by the United Nations General Assembly in 2021. Pearl millet has ovoid grains of 3–4 millimetres ( 1 ⁄ 8 – 5 ⁄ 32 in) length, the largest kernels of all varieties of millet (not including sorghum ). These can be nearly white, pale yellow, brown, grey, slate blue or purple. The 1000-seed weight can be anything from 2.5 to 14 g with
#153846