10 Jan 2019

Farmers along the Tati River have expressed worry over lack of rainfall and soaring temperatures.

They said the recent rains were too little too late and would destroy their crops.

In an interview, many of the farmers who plough on freehold land said with the high temperatures experienced lately, their efforts to irk a living would turn out to be a waste of time.

“I laid my first seeds for this season end of November 2018 when the few thundershowers began coming down, and I have been hopeful ever since that it would rain but the rains have been too minimal for my liking,” said 52-year-old Ms Tsholofelo Keakantse of Monarch.

A visit to her ploughing field showed many of the first seeds planted had germinated colouring the field green while crops such as maize, sweet reed and cowpeas were in bloom.

“The sun will scotch them soon if it doesn’t rain and all my efforts will have been for nothing,” she said.

Further along the river bank towards old Tatitown Primary School, 47-year-old Ms Tshenolo Baboletse laments the rough weather conditions.

“As much as I have been trying to ignore it, but I don’t see much harvest with this kind of weather going on. Every evening I watch the weather report on Btv hoping for better news concerning the rain but the reports are just gloomy. I come here every day with my children to tend the crops and weed and attend to other requirements such as fencing,” she said.

Another farmer, Mr Kagisano Moreodi, 49, who also owns a field along the river, was nostalgic about the good rain of 2013/14 which enabled them to make a killing from farming.

“This whole area where these gardens are was green back then as it had rained heavily and did so for many days. Our crops grew so well and yielded a good harvest for everyone. I made a lot of money selling maize and sweet reed to the locals. Our biggest challenge however, were thieves and animals that destroyed our fencing and eat our crops,” Mr Moreodi said.

However, he was still hopeful that God would answer their prayers for more rain.

In an interview, Francistown West MP, Mr  Ignatius Moswaane said river side farmers production over the past years had been impressive.

“The arrangement with those farmers is that the land has been leased to them by the Francistown City Council, and each lease has been verified through official letters.

Here in my constituency, this type of farming has proved even more popular as there are gardens along the Tati River from Phase 6, Area 11 to Mmei Community Junior School,” he said. ENDS