23 Apr 2018

Department of Veterinary Services spends a significant percentage of its budget in programmes that benefit the youth.

Director, Dr Letlhogile Modisa said such programme were meant for young people to create employment for themselves and other Batswana.

Dr Modisa was officially opening Southern District Youth Exposition at Pelotshetlha recently.

He said programmes such as ISPAAD and LIMID had benefited many youths in the Southern District.

“I am pleased to note that in the Southern District 714 young people benefited from ISPAAD while 2 013 used the LIMID programme and created employment for 2 087 Batswana,’’ he said.

Dr Modisa encouraged youth to strengthen their association to enable them to voice out issues that concern their production challenges and approach service providers, input suppliers and financial institution with one voice.

“We are encouraged as the ministry to spend on the young people and now we are convinced that we benefit and continue to have an increased benefit as you grow the job to become professors in farming’’, he said.

He said farming was a skill and the more they do it, the more they master the practices, adding that his ministry had realised that there was need to strengthen the collaboration between its customers and stakeholders.

Dr Modisa indicated that government looked up to the agricultural sector as one of its pillars to address the challenges of youth unemployment and diversify the economy.

He said farmers were mainly elderly people, adding that it was necessary that for them to sustain the agricultural sector, there was need to engage more of the young generation.

Dr Modisa also alerted young farmers about climate change, which he said was a big challenge, saying there was shift of rainfall patterns.

“This calls for our collaboration with technocrats to be able to deal with these challenges.

It is paramount that we practice good agricultural practices,’’ he said.

He told the youth that conservation agriculture and good animal husbandry practices were the key factors that would help them.

Earlier, Southern District Agricultural coordinator, Ms Monia Mfolwe said the objectives of the exposition was specifically to devote time, attention and draw all resources to address some of the youth challenges so that they could have a full understanding of the ministry.

Ms Mfolwe lamented that it was also to share ideas among youth and take advantage of all professionals available for advice, adding that it was imperative to appreciate and recognise the participation of youth in agriculture.

The Expo was attended by youth from Chobe, Central, North West, North East, Kgalagadi and Southern districts. ENDS