05 Mar 2015

The acting Minister of Agriculture Mr Patrick Ralotsia has applauded arable farmers for their perseverance even though this year was characterized by low rainfalls.

Addressing a Botswana Commercial Crop Producers Association (BCCPA) workshop in Jwaneng , Mr Ralotsia noted that farmers needed a pat on the back for always working tirelessly to feed the nation.

“My heart goes out when I imagine what you are going through, especially this year where the severe lack of rainfall and extremely high temperatures have caused excessive crop damage,” he said.

He said the unfavourable weather conditions should not cause them to despair but instead they should continue to work hard to provide food for Batswana.

He said even though the government was committed to growing the agricultural sector, there was need to work together with different stakeholders such as associations to achieve positive results.

The acting minister said the agricultural sector had a role to play in areas which the government has committed itself to that include employment creation, poverty eradication, increasing education funding, eliminating HIV transmission from mother to child, as well as fighting corruption.

He said the role that the agricultural sector continued to play in areas of food security, employment creation and the provision of raw material for other sectors could not go unnoticed. 

“This is more so that a majority of the population in Botswana lives in rural areas and depends on agricultural activities as the major source of income and employment,” he explained.

Furthermore, the acting minister said the sector had a potential to immensely contribute to the realisation of Vision 2016 pillars and in the process contributing to rural development and poverty eradication. 

He also acknowledged the challenges faced by farmers which he attributed to lack of infrastructure in most production areas. 

He said in an effort to address some of these challenges, the government obtained a loan from the African Development Bank to construct all weather roads and drainage in the Pandamatenga farming area.

BCCPA chairperson Mr Edison Wotho noted that farmers were faced with a challenge of feeding the nation, irrespective of rainfall conditions. 

He therefore encouraged them to strive for the best so that they could be able to produce more.

He said the formation of the association was the beginning of a new journey whereby they expected farmers to be involved in decisions that affect their sector so that they could also make an input.

Mr Wotho urged the government to help them in the formation of a secretariat to assist in spearheading their goal of food security. ENDS