14 Sep 2016

Residents of Sekakangwe have proposed that assessment for beneficiaries of government programmes be extended to the village leadership such as dikgosi and Village Development Committee (VDC).

“Failure sometimes results from beneficiaries being assessed by social workers alone on the basis of state of poverty, while other factors such as capabilities of a person are not considered. Many projects have failed because of this as the person only assumes that the project will help them live out of poverty without putting effort,” said one resident Mr Herbert Mathumo.

The proposal was made at kgotla meeting addressed by the Assistant Minister of Agriculture ,Mr Kgotla Autlwetse, in Sekakangwe recently.

Such programmes included Integrated Support Programme for Arable Agricultural Development (ISPAAD) as well as Livestock Management and Infrastructure Development (LIMID). Mr Mathumo was of the view that extending assessment to the village leadership would help reduce

the number of failed projects. He therefore proposed that if the leadership could be involved, it might help in that they would also share their views on capabilities of the beneficiaries.

On other issues, residents complained that Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board (BAMB) purchasing price was low thereby discouraging farmers to take advantage of their services. They noted that what surprised them was that although BAMB buys a bag of sorghum at P85 from farmers, BAMB was the one which benefits more as they sold that bag at P185.

For his part, Mr Autlwetse said beneficiaries for government programmes should be committed with an understanding that they have the responsibility to safe guard efforts made to relief  them of poverty.  He added that funds used to assist them were tax payers money hence needs to be used well. On the issue of BAMB prices, he promised to liaise with relevant authoritiess to look into the issue.

In another Kgotla meeting in Mbalambi, residents appreciated government programmes.

They however requested that since many of them relied on Ipelegeng for employment, government should negotiate with suppliers on their behalf that they be given fence on credit since getting the 50 per cent funds needed for ISAAP fencing was a challenge. ENDS