29 Jan 2015

The 2014/15 ploughing season began in earnest mood as most farmers took advantage of the first rains despite encountering some challenges in the process.

This ploughing season, especially the second half of it being January-March was generally dry, according to the meteorological services department. The department has also advised that going to early February and after mid-February, it will be dry with occasional un-organised rainfall.

Tractor owners on one hand were failing farmers to some extent as many fields lost moisture content in the process of ploughing and not planting them in the required time. As the planting period ends this Saturday for the southern region, presently there are no plans for extension of the cut-off days for planting.

Integrated Support Programme for Arable Agricultural Development (ISPAAD) coordinator, Mr Lepodisi Telekelo said in an interview that the cut-off for the southern region is January 31 and February 15 in the north and that the dates are influenced by the onset of frosts.

He noted that generally, it has proved that crops planted during the extended period fail as they are susceptible to cold weather which compromises crop development. “After the cutoff dates, farmers are advised to plant short early maturing and drought tolerant varieties,” he said.

Presently a total of 19 715.89 hectares has been planted and measured for 4 179 farmers as follows:-Cereals- 15 348.11 ha, Legumes-2,396.24 ha, Oil seeds-722.01 ha, Fodder -338.98 ha and other crops -910.08ha. He however, said the figure is expected to increase as planting and field measuring is on-going.

Meanwhile, as the ploughing season nears completion, many farmers have still not planted their fields, despite having ploughed them on time.

Deputy permanent secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr Pharoah Mosupi said the ministry was aware that tractor owners were leaving ploughed fields, under the pretense that they wanted to cover more fields

This, he said, was unfortunate situation because objective of the ISPAAD programme was to assist farmers to plough and plant their field in order to produce enough food and feed Batswana.

He however, said the ministry could only advise tractor owners to plant the ploughed fields, or otherwise risk losing their payments because ploughing and planting are regarded as single package which attracts one payment. Therefore, he said no payment for unfinished job will be effected. 

Further, the ministry advises affected farmers to not sign any completion certificates for the defaulting tractor owners and that farmers should seek advice with their extension officers. ENDS