31 Aug 2015

Shortage of water, especially in farms, is an indication of the slow uptake of programmes that have the component of drilling boreholes, says Vice President Mokgweetsi Masisi. Addressing a kgotla meeting in Pitseng recently, Mr Masisi said if many Batswana could take advantage of such schemes, recurring challenges of lack of household water at the lands could be eased.

Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) official, Mr Matthews Sebina had earlier told residents that it was against his corporation’s policy to provide water at farms or lands.

However, the Vice President  said there was need to work around the policy and to create a win-win situation for both the corporation and farmers. Leaving farmers in the lurch, he said, was likely to frustrate governments’ efforts to encourage Batswana to take to farming and ensure the country’s food security.

 “It is especially burdensome for people whose ploughing fields are far-removed from their principal residences because they do not only have to contend with travelling long distances, but are also expected to ferry enough quantities of water they will need for the entire duration of stay at the ploughing fields,” he said.

The Vice President also expressed worry that suddenly “little is being said about HIV/AIDS in Botswana.” Mr Masisi, who is also the chairperson of the National AIDS Council by virtue of his position as the Vice President, warned that easing up on the fight against HIV/AIDS could have devastating effects.

He noted that the country’s HIV/AIDS prevalence rate was high in comparison to Botswana’s small population. He urged everybody to be steadfast in the fight against the disease. For his part, the director of education for the southern region, Mr Acro Maseko agreed with residents of Pitseng that there were teachers who have over-stayed at the only primary school in the village.

He, however, said budgetary constraints remain a challenge to transfer every teacher who has stayed long in any one school. Mr Maseko called on residents to bear with his ministry, and assured them that once funding was available priority would to be given to those teachers. Meanwhile, Mr Keneilwe Kenosi, an agricultural demonstrator pleaded with farmers to be proactive and take farming seriously. Ends