01 Dec 2016

The Tsabong-based Sub-district crop production officer, Mr Suberee Kapeko says majority of farmers in the region are failing the Integrated Support Programme for Arable Agriculture Development (ISPAAD) sponsored individual fencing scheme as they are reluctant to pay the 50 per cent contribution.

Speaking in an interview, Mr  Kapeko said the farmers were active at the time of requesting but after being granted the go ahead to purchase the required fencing materials, they would fail to honor the agreement.

“This indicate lack of commitment on their part. In this case, we end up terminating our agreement with them,” he said.

Mr Kapeko urged the farmers to fully prepare themselves before expressing interest in the individual fencing scheme.

He said since 2013, only 95 farmers had their applications approved for individual fencing scheme and out of this only 33 farmers had their fields fenced whereas the remaining 62 failed to pay their 50 per cent contribution.

Mr Kapeko said individual fencing was the only way out as group fencing and cluster appeared to be difficult in Kgalagadi.

Meanwhile, Mr Kapeko appealed to crop farmers to fence their fields so that their crops were not destroyed by animals. ENDS