09 Sep 2018

 Chief executive officer of Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board (BAMB), Mr Leonard Morakaladi says the organisation will continue working with farmers especially small scale farmers to enhance the agricultural field produce.

Addressing members of the media during BAMB customer day held at BAMB headquarters on September 7, Mr Morakaladi noted that though they currently had partnership with some farmers through clusters, they intend to grow and intensify these partnerships so that the country could produce more and even export, especially to the Asian market.

However, he said the current cropping season did not produce enough maize because of changes in climatic weather conditions which continued to affect the globe.

He said with good and advanced technologies similar to the ones he had just witnessed in China during President Mokgweetsi Masisi’s recent visit, he was optimistic that cropping yield could be improved and increased.

Mr Morakaladi further said BAMB had commenced purchasing produce from farmers from June until now, adding that the crops were purchased at grade 1 and grade 2 except for cowpeas which were strictly purchased at grade 1.

“To date the board has purchased 12 971mt of sorghum, 3 369mt pulses and 2 589mt of maize. BAMB will import maize especially the yellow one for stock feeding should the need arise,” he saidBAMB is contracted by government to manage its Strategic Grain Reserve (SGR) for national food security purposes, a duty it has been doing for more than 20 years.

SGR maximum stock level should be 70 000mt comprising 30 000mt of sorghum, 30 000mt of maize and 10 000 of cowpeas.

Currently status with SGR stands as follows; 30 000mt of sorghum, 2 000mt cowpeas and zero for maize.

Despite challenges encountered, BAMB has evolved to provide veterinary services by selling livestock products such as animal drugs, medicines, dips, vaccines, livestock husbandry equipment and feeds.

It also has qualified dedicated personnel at all 38 locations to advice farmers on responsible use of antimicrobial products and relevant husbandry practices per category of livestock. It also provide smart solutions for each problem brought forward by customers. ENDS