24 Jun 2018

President Mokgweetsi  Masisi says government was committed to commercialising the agricultural sector because of its contribution to the country’s economic growth, diversification and achievement of food security at household and national level.

“Government is developing some potentially high production areas for arable agriculture, particularly in the Pandamatenga area. It is expected that such land will be allocated to potential investors to help boost production base, which will ultimately contribute to food security,” President Masisi said at the Voorslaag farmer’s day in Letlhakane on June 23.

In addition, President Masisi said ISPAAD would be revamped to enhance food production. The President said before being rolled out to the public, the revamped ISPAAD would be piloted to see if its results were worthwhile.

“Piloting will involve mobilisation of arable farmers so that they can permit realignment of their fields in a way that will allow for services such as roads, utilities and provision for a service centre in future,” he said.

Mr Masisi explained that part of the works would include debushing exercise, which would be carried out by the government as well as providing other ISPAAD inputs so as to ease the burden on citizens and to enhance food production.

With regard to the theme of the day; Investing in Knowledge Pays the Best Interest, President Masisi said it was consistent with national aspirations, which sought a knowledge-based economy.

He, therefore, urged all to take advantage of the invaluable knowledge that would be made available to them.

President Masisi said he was aware that agriculture was comparatively low in the Boteti region, encouraging them to further engage with the government with a view to improving farming strategies and enhancing the performance of the arable sector.

He said it was worrisome that there were large pieces of land allocated for agricultural purposes in Boteti and other parts of the country that were not utilised, saying the situation made it difficult for political leadership to support requests for more land to be set aside for farming. He also expressed concern at the disturbing trends where some people sub-divided fields into five-hectare plots to benefit from ISPAAD free packages while others sold small stock to more than one beneficiaries under Poverty Eradication programme and LIMID.

He warned both arable and pastoral farmers against such vices as they destroyed their credibility while also draining limited national resources. For his part, the Vice President Mr Slumber Tsogwane implored farmers to up their game and undertake farming as a business to ensure profitability.

Mr Tsogwane emphasised the importance of competing with the best and satisfying EU market,  adding that the local industry could only have the transfer of skills through joint ventures ENDS