25 Nov 2015

Seed Co agronomist, Mr Dialwa Kenatshele, has implored farmers to plough for a purpose.

Speaking at agricultural services support workshop in Moshupa recently, he said most farmers had poor yields because they ploughed without proper plans.

He explained that ploughing with a purpose would help farmers have a good yield because they would have planned for the type of crop they wanted.

He said it was of no use to plant every variety of crops and not get food at the end of the harvest.
Mr Kenatshele also encouraged farmers to test their soil every ploughing season so that they could use the right fertilisers for their soil type and for the right crops.

He stated that their company's purpose was to promote sustainable farming practices and if farmers could group themselves they would bring resources and education closer to them.
“Right decisions in farming are critical to positive results” he advised.

Mr Kabelo Matshediso, Lemang Dijo Crop Farmers Association chairperson urged farmers to stop the spirit of individualism and join the association so that companies like Seed Co would be able to assist them as a group.

He also asked service providers to come up with machinery and services suitable for the level of farming in Moshupa, adding that the sub-district had small-scale farmers and companies such as Seed Co Botswana and agricultural implements manufacturers should take that as an opportunity to grow them.

Ms sentleeng Maoto, an agronomist from the Southern District Crop Production Office encouraged farmers to use the new methods and technologies.
She appealed to farmers to learn more about dry land farming.

She said the method was on a subsistence level in Israel, a country that had the same dry land as Botswana.

She said equipment such as mold board were not useful nowadays because Botswana had no rain and if one used a mold board they turned the soil upside down, resulting in the soil moisture evaporating.

She said farmers should try by all means to preserve soil moisture.

Moshupa North councillor, Mr Wakgotla Tsalaile pleaded with farmers to attend workshops to get more knowledge and skills and also share their experiences with others. Ends