20 Apr 2016

Some Ngamiland arable farmers are threatened by a certain grassy weed Tricholaena Monachme which has invaded their fields since 2010 and seemingly increases every year.

One farmer of Samedupi near Maun, Mr Okganetse Sedombo said the grassy leaved weed was stubborn since it grew faster after removal and even seemed resistant to burning.

He was speaking during a field crop tour organised by the district crop production division to share ideas with the farmers on the problematic weed and other ideas.

Mr Sedombo said the grass started terrorising him in 2010 and seemingly increased every year therefore expressed fear that it would chase farmers out of farming.

According to a statement from the district crop production division, the office has received alarming concerns from farmers since 2010/11 ploughing season regarding invasion of the grassy leaved weeds, which the Ngamiland locals has named Nakadondo while the office has identified as Tricholaena Monachme.

“Despite efforts of hand weeding this grass, the grass would grow faster and outcompete grown plants.

In efforts to assist farmers, the office conducted chemical weed control on one affected farm which yielded no results,” it states.

The agricultural research officer Ms Anastacia Molubi said they did not have substantial information on the weed type, however she said research was underway to determine the nature of the grass, its favourable conditions and ways of controlling it.

Ms Molubi said their preliminary research has shown that the Tricholaena Monachme which the Ngamiland locals have named Nakadondo was invading field crops also in some parts of Botswana.

She said some of the ways of mitigating the weed would be to cut it before flowery and cleaning farming equipment since the grass seeds could be carried from one place to the other.

Samedupi Kgosi Motlakaleso Ntobo, decried that the grassy weed was affecting farmers negatively and hampered quality growth of crops.

Kgosi Ntobo urged the district crops office to do further research on the origin of the seeds as  farmers have arrayed fears that the weed terrorized them since the introduction of seeds from government.

Meanwhile, the agronomist, Ms Keeme Jimmy encouraged Ngamiland farmers to engage in  livestock feeds production such as Lab lab.

Ms Jimmy observed that making feeds would be beneficial since Ngamiland had a high population of cattle. ENDS