05 Mar 2017

Members of Parliament on March 1 approved the 2017/18 financial year budget for the Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food Security.
The minister, Mr Patrick Ralotsia had asked parliament to approve the sum of P1.1 billion as recurrent and P983 million as development budget for the next financial year.
MP for Shoshong, Mr Dikgang Makgalemele called for the maintenance of the veterinary fence along Dibete.
MP Makgalemele said the fence played a crucial role as it divided his constituency with Kgatleng and Kweneng District, therefore crucial in curtailing the movement of livestock.
The MP said given its state, it was easy for livestock to move between the areas hence a threat to spread diseases such as Foot and Mouth.
MP Makgalemele said his constituency did not have an Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP) or even service centres yet it has potential for agriculture.
He said his constituents want farmers with about one or two hectares to be allowed to use broadcasting method, instead of row planting.
MP Makgalemele said Botswana has on numerous occasions undertaken benchmarking trips to Israel but the results are yet to be realised.
He further said they were developing a dairy farm cooperative in his constituency modeled after the Indian practice as it had proved to be easier to implement.
For his part, MP Itumeleng Moipisi of Kgalagadi North said his government was keen in ensuring growth in agriculture through provision of infrastructure, services, resources and research.
He said he wished no funds would be returned to the government coffers at the end of the current financial year as that would rob Batswana the service they need.
MP Moipisi said the number of youths involved in agriculture was a morale booster saying this showed the potential the sector has in employment creation.
He however said there were challenges as veterinarians were hampered by lack of transportation in executing their duties.
The Kgalagadi North MP said only two out of eight vehicles in his constituency were operational.
MP Moipisi said there were no Artificial Insemination centres saying the one at Phuduhudu has now been turned into a wildlife sanctuary leaving pastoral farmers in the lurch.
He further thanked the ministry for setting up the Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board (BAMB) in Hukuntsi saying the entity has provided a market for salt from Zutshwa.
MP for Ramotswa, Mr Samuel Rantuana said there was discrimination as farmers in the Northern part of Dibete enjoyed longer ploughing season than their counterparts in the South.
He further said there were no good roads to agricultural production areas making difficult for products to reach markets.
MP Rantuana said more funding should have been given for research saying it was disheartening that Botswana continued to rely heavily on imports mostly from South Africa.
Takatokwane MP, Mr Ngaka Nkgaka said the government should closely monitor the relationship between farmers and tractor owners.
He said while he appreciates the maintenance of the road to Phuduhudu, it should be extended as Maboane is a short distance.
MP Ngaka called for government to establish compensation for horticultural farmers who lost their produce following the outbreak of tomato leaf miner (Tuta absoluta) as is the case with the Foot and Mouth Disease.
He said a service centre should be established in his constituency either in Dutlwe or Salajwe.
MP for Jwaneng-Mabutsane, Mr Shawn Ntlhaile said agriculture can address the income inequalities experienced in the country.
He said his constituents have asked the government to allocate them a farm for their livestock equipped with a borehole.
For his part, MP for Boteti West, Mr Slumber Tsogwane has said some structures which supported the sector have collapsed saying there were no AI camps in his constituency.
He said the Foot and Mouth cordon fence between Zone 4a and 4b has collapsed and needs maintenance.
MP Tsogwane said the human/wildlife conflict made it difficult for people to engage in farming and called upon the minister to be interested in such matters rather than leave it for the Minister of Environment, Natural Resources Conversation and Tourism. ENDS