27 May 2018

Minister of Agricultural Development and Food Security, Mr Patrick Ralotsia says the increasing food import bill remains a major challenge in the country.

Speaking at the ministry’s excellence awards recently, Mr Ralotsia said the national demand for horticultural produce currently stood at 90 000 tonnes per annum, but local farmers only produced 62 282 tonnes in 2017/18.

He stated that demand for milk was also estimated at 65 million litres while local production was only at 8.6 million litres a year.

Minister Ralotsia attributed the increasing food import bill and low productivity at farm level to inter alia climate change.

He indicated that the ministry had identified smallstock production as one of the breakthrough areas that had the potential to contribute significantly to the diversification and growth of the agricultural sector.

As such, he highlighted that the ministry took a deliberate decision to resuscitate Lubo smallstock farm by using it as a platform to transform Kgalagadi District and the country as a whole into increased prosperity through sustainable smallstock production and marketing.

He stated that the ministry had also developed a comprehensive action plan to ensure implementation of the strategic roadmap for resuscitation of the farm and the development of Kgalagadi District as a smallstock hub.

The specific objectives of the plan, he said, were to increase profitability of smallstock operations in the country and create jobs and investment opportunities for Batswana.

He added that over 200 registered stud dorper sheep and boer goats had been purchased to be used to supply farmers with breeding stock in order to improve the genetic quality of their flocks.

He also indicated that the farm also offered short-term farmer-focused training on livestock management and agricultural business.

Nevertheless, he expressed confidence that the ministry’s efforts at Lobu would generate the much needed employment opportunities and thus assist government to address the crucial need of food security, poverty eradication, socio-economic growth and environmental management.

Further, he said the ministry continued to explore opportunities to transform the agricultural sector through the use of advanced technologies and value addition to farm produce.

As such, he pleaded with the ministry personnel to take advantage of several opportunities to research and further continue to self-educate in order to sharpen their technical skills for them to meet the ever-increasing challenges that the agricultural industry was faced with.

He also called on the private sector and other stakeholders to assist government in addressing challenges that confronted the agricultural sector. ENDS