17 Feb 2019

SADC’s Plant Genetic Resources Centre (PGRS) senior programme officer, Ms Thandie Lupupa, has called on farmers to understand the effects of climate change.

When briefing Ngamiland farmers about linking on-farm conservation to climate-smart agriculture in Maun recently, she said it was ideal for farmers to plant crops that were best suited to grow at low input conditions while also using natural resources to improve the soil structure and productivity.

Ms Lupupa said farmers should grow diverse crops leading to high-quality diets.

“Diverse food systems represent the best form of social protection as eating patterns are changing,” she said.

She also advised farmers to set up community seed banks as a complementary component to the national bank and for improved seed systems noting that the banks could also be used for commercialisation of adaptive crops and recognised improved varieties.

Farmers were also informed that such facilities could broaden geographical reach of farmers’ seed networks and information exchange through field days and seed fairs.

“Seed fairs also serve as a marketing channel for seed and exchange of indigenous knowledge on food dishes prepared using traditional crops,” she explained

Ms Lupupa said recognition of the importance of conserving plant genetic resources in Southern Africa led to establishment of the SADC Plant Genetic Resource Centre located in Zambia.

The centre worked in coordination with plant genetics centres in each of the member states to conserve and preserve the genetic diversity and viability of Southern African plant stocks.

Curator of National Plant Genetic Resources, Dr Tinny Motlhaodi, informed farmers that the centre was established in Botswana in 1986 and its mandate was to collect as well as conserve cultivated crops and wild species.

She explained that it was established because most plant genetic resources were no longer in existence and they wanted to provide the raw material for present and future use by plant breeders and farmers for improving yields quality and productivity of crops.

In addition, she said, it was important for providing valuable traits to meeting changing climatic conditions or outbreaks of diseases.

Currently, she said they had 4 253 species in the centre and urged farmers to assist with more traditional seeds.

Dr Motlhaodi revealed they had realised that some seeds could live for more than 50 years if stored in cold room and freezers.

For their part, some farmers stated that they still had traditional crops but it was unfortunate since they had low productivity due to climate change.

Farmers said they used to have high yields since some crops such as millet could withstand the hardships of any weather condition and pests but now they depended on seeds from the government.

Ms Tseanang Masike mentioned some sorghum crops such as Sakasaka and Budulala which were common in Ngamiland district were resistance from birds.

She said some of the crops such as Senope, Tshabatsie were no longer in existence. ENDS