15 Feb 2015

Low rainfalls experienced by many parts of Botswana this summer have been blamed for turning 2015 into a bad year for crop production. 

Assistant minister of Agriculture. Mr Patrick Ralotsia told Parliament on February 13 that the situation led to failure of crops in places hit by the problem of poor rainfalls.

In cases where plants managed to grow, they wilted and died because of lack of rain and excessive heat, the assistant minister said.

Takatokwane MP, Mr Ngaka Ngaka had asked whether the assistant minister was aware that failure of crops had resulted with disappointed farmers becoming reluctant to facilitate payment of tractor owners who planted their farms. 

He said some farmers who used the ISPAAD programme believed tractor owners did a shoddy job, while some agricultural demonstrators are reluctant to go and measure planted hectares in which crops failed to grow. 

Mr Ngaka asked the assistant minister to direct agricultural demonstrators to ensure that tractor owners are paid, even when crops failed to grow in fields they planted, because they used their resources.

Mr Ralotsia assured Parliament that all tractor owners would be paid their dues because it is the problem of poor rainfall that led to failure of crops.

Okavango MP, Mr Bagalatia Arone asked the Ministry of Agriculture to suspend new ISPAAD regulations that forced people to use row planting. He said shortage of row planters caused farmers to miss out on utilising early rains, resulting in poor growth of crops because farmers planted late in the ploughing season.

However, the assistant minister said use of modern and advanced farming technologies would not be sacrificed because of shortage of rain. “It is important to plant on time, but we must follow correct farming methods. It is important to practice appropriate agronomic technologies as opposed to the conservative ones. There is never a time when it is appropriate not to employ appropriate technologies,” said the assistant minister.

Boteti East MP Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe asked what the ministry was doing to address shortage of tractors and row planters which prevent farmers from planting on time, but the assistant minister said statistics indicate that there are enough registered private owned tractors to help farmers. He said his ministry has registered more than 2 500 tractors. ENDS