03 Mar 2019

The Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food Security has potential to create jobs for Batswana.

Some MPs who debated the ministry’s budget proposals for the next financial year on February 28, said if resourced and capacitated well, the ministry could help reverse the upward swing of unemployment that the nation was experiencing.

MP for Serowe North, Mr Kgotla Autlwetse noted that despite such potential, the ministry was often under-funded, something he said curtailed its capacity to effectively deliver on its mandate.

Mr Autlwetse said it was worrying that even though Botswana had a lot of arable land totalling 900 000 hectares, the country still experienced low harvests and low output in terms of the livestock being kept.

He said of the total hectorage of arable land available, utilisation stood at only 300 000, adding that the best utilisation rate ever reached had been 400 000.

He said in order to attain food self-sufficiency, it was critical that the land available for agricultural purposes be fully utilised so as to maximise returns for the nation.

MP for Gabane-Mmankgodi Major General Pius Mokgware echoed sentiments that the agriculture sector could indeed create countless jobs for Batswana.

He said agriculture could without doubt be the highest employer hence importance of adequately funding the ministry.

The MP nonetheless said the ministry was regressing despite having some of the brightest minds in its employ, adding that Botswana was yet to attain self-sufficiency in even a single food commodity.

He, however, argued that the nation was not doing enough to get the youth to pursue agriculture.

Vice President and also Boteti West MP, Mr Slumber Tsogwane said the sector had grown tremendously since independence, attributing growth to the commitment by government to support the sector and steer it forward.

Mr Tsogwane nonetheless decried the effect of human/wildlife conflict, which he said continued to reverse the efforts by communities to produce food for their families.

Despite the challenges faced by the sector, he said government remained committed to driving the country towards self-sufficiency in food.

He noted that the intention by government was to put in place a budget to address the issue of droughts since the sector was among those that were often negatively impacted by the effects of climate change.

Also noting how the sector could reverse the growing unemployment rates, MP for Shoshong, Mr Dikgang Makgalemele urged government to develop roads leading to agricultural production areas.

On another issue, Mr Makgalemele implored the nation to capitalise on the Musi breed of cattle, which he described as a unique opportunity for the growth of the sector.

On privatisation of the Botswana Meat Commission (BMC), Gaborone-Bonnington North MP Advocate Duma Boko cautioned government against leaving subsistence farmers out in the cold when privatising the entity.

Adv Boko said it was the small farmers who contributed greatly to the existence of the BMC as the bulk of the through-put was from them hence it was critical that their interests be protected when privatising the abattoir.

Still on the BMC, Specially Elected MP Mr Mephato Reatile said it was sad that farmers had to wait for long before they could get paid after selling their cattle to the national abattoir.

On another issue, he said outsourcing of veterinary services had impacted negatively on the livestock sector as some of the private veterinary officers engaged lacked the requisite skills and knowledge.

Mr Reatile said some of the officers over-charged government or billed government for services they had not rendered to farmers.

MP for Maun West, Mr Tawana Moremi said the Ngamiland area was disadvantaged as farmers there could not benefit.

He said people in the area had tried to seek alternative markets for their livestock, but had hit hurdles after securing markets as the BMC became reluctant to assist them to access such markets.

MP Moremi noted that because of the challenges besieging the agricultural sector in the area, residents were being bought out of their land by foreigners as they could not utilise it for agricultural purposes.

Adding on to the BMC issue, Nkange MP Mr Edwin Batshu wondered why after the closure of the Francistown abattoir, no arrangement had been made to help farmers in the north to transport their livestock to the abattoir in Lobatse.

The MP also raised concern that there was country-wide shortage of agricultural extension workers.

That, he said had resulted in Tirelo Setshaba participants being used as extension workers in some instances, a move he said had affected service delivery.

MP Vincent Seretse of Lentsweletau-Mmopane called for liberalisation of the BMC.

He said opening up markets to allow farmers to sell their livestock wherever they wished could be of great benefit to the country.

Mr Seretse said the country needed to not only focus on the sale of beef but also on live cattle. ENDS