24 Apr 2016

Government will do a research with a view to develop a technology to assist farmers with saline underground water.

President Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama informed residents of Omaweneno in Kgalagadi South constituency during a kgotla meeting on April 21 that he had tasked ministries of agriculture and that of energy and water resources to embark on the research with a view to develop saline water treatment plant technology.

He said the research stemmed from the fact that most of the farmers across the country were handicapped by saline underground water.

“The challenge is not that we don’t have water, but that most of it is saline,” he explained.

If developed, the President said the technology would come in handy particularly for farmers in areas like the Kgalagadi district where the challenge was prevalent.

Lt Gen. Khama was responding to a request from a farmer, Mr Hangero Kapeko who had asked government to devise a means to assist farmers faced with saline water challenge.

President Khama also clarified that farmers in the district were allowed to sell small stock to what Mr Kapeko described as a lucrative market in South Africa, but would have to follow the stipulated animal movement protocols.

On other issues, Lt Gen. Khama further informed farmers that government now paid a full compensation for livestock killed or fields destroyed by dangerous wild animals like lions and elephants among others.

In the past farmers only received 35 per cent compensation.

“But we only compensate if the animal can attack you otherwise it’s your responsibility to protect your fields and livestock,” he explained.  ENDS