31 Aug 2014

Kgatleng District agricultural coordinator, Mr Malefane Segonetso says Batswana, especially farmers, should take full advantage of government programmes such as LIMID and ISPAAD.

Giving a key note address at a farmers’s symposium at Thoredi farms near Bokaa in Kgatleng District on August 28, he said LIMID was one of the programmes that farmers could use to improve their lives, adding that nowadays small stock was marketable and profitable when compared to other stocks.

“As you know, LIMID deals with small stock only and does not include cattle. So I urge you to take advantage because even government is buying small stocks at higher price from farmers,” said Mr Segonetso.

He also said crop production should also be taken seriously, adding that the country was still importing food from other countries. “You should take note that one day our diamonds will no longer be there. So farming is the only thing that can sustain us”.

For her part, Ms Gogontlejang Phaladi, who is also the founder of Gogontlejang Phaladi Pillar of Hope project said the purpose of the symposium was to recognise and appreciate the immense contribution of the agricultural sector to the country’s economy.

The symposium, she said, sought to bring together stakeholders in the farming sector who worked both directly and indirectly with farmers in Botswana to have an open and fruitful dialogue with farmers.

“According to economist food security index 2012, Botswana households have one of the best accesses to sufficient, safe and nutritious food in Africa despite being a landlocked country,” said Ms Phaladi. However, she said Botswana is being compared with the worst in the Sub Saharan Africa region, saying that it is essential to prioritise food security in Botswana in the context of enhancing the agricultural sector as it holds a lot of potential for boosting the economy and thus ensuring food security.

“We believe it is important to bridge the gap between farmers and the relevant stakeholders in an effort to enhance the agricultural sector and promote investing in commercial agricultural farming for self-reliance, economic diversification and food security,’ said Ms Phaladi.

Moreover, she said, empowerment of farmers, significant partnerships and meaningful engagement with stakeholders in the agricultural sector can substantially improve food security over time and indeed diversify the economy.

For his part, Kgosi Sue Mosinyi of Bokaa appreciated all the efforts of farmers in Thoredi, adding that it was not the first symposium to be held there.

He encouraged them to work together as one day they will be feeding the nation with crops from their own farms

The workshop was held under the theme Post 2016 Actions: Ensuring sustainable food security. ENDS