10 Nov 2015

President Lt. General Seretse Khama Ian Khama says Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP) is expected to stimulate production through integrated farming by, among others, providing strategic incentives, including guaranteed market access for producers, both commercial and small scale.

Delivering the State-of-the-Nation Address on Monday, President Khama said ESP will also facilitate market access through the formation of production clusters and marketing cooperatives; and mandating that public institutions procure from local food producers;

 The agricultural component of ESP, he said, will further include projects such as grey water reuse in Serowe and the National Agro-Processing plant in Selebi Phikwe.

He said to further improve arable sector as a revenue earner and source of employment, government was conducting research areas such as crop breeding, soil management, farm mechanisation in the context of different farming system and agro-ecological conditions.

In that regard, he said, a project co-funded with International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) further includes training in conservation and the use of low cost mechanism options, combined with improved agronomy.

He said in addition government was piloting a scheme to develop and demonstrate a viable model for small scale irrigation using treated water.

He said the 2014/15 cropping season experienced drought conditions, which resulted in complete crop failure in many areas. The total area planted during the 2014/15 ploughing season thus decreased by 28 per cent, while the total number of farmers who took part in arable farming also decreased by 37 per cent. 

The national estimated cereals production for 2014/15 is estimated to stand at 68 000 metric tonnes (Mt.), which is only 22.7 per cent of the national cereal requirement of 300 000 Mt. 

The whole country was, therefore, declared drought stricken following the 2014/2015 Drought and Household Food Security assessment. 

To this end, he said government has adopted relief measures for a period from July 2015 through to June 2016 to assist affected Batswana. 

President Khama said despite the poor rains, there were a number of farmers who improved their productivity through the adoption of methods such as the use of fertilizers, use of hybrid seeds and row planting.

Furthermore, he said the special ISPAADD programme targeting Kgalagadi, Ghanzi and parts of the Kweneng and Southern Districts is being implemented, with respect to the Livestock Management and Infrastructure Development (LIMID) project as of June 2015, a cumulative total of 15 335 applicants had benefited, including 7 754 youth. 

Poultry and small stock abattoirs construction is progressing with SEPHA abattoir in Palapye at 80 per cent completion, while a tender for works has been awarded for the Tsabong multi-species abattoir. Ends