05 Aug 2019

Okavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA) has approved sponsorship proposal, which aims at reducing destruction of crops.

This followed an outcry that Chobe District, despite being the country’s food basket, the farming community continued to be threatened by wildlife existence, particularly elephants.

Speaking at the Chobe Agricultural show in Pandamatenga on August 2, Minister of Agricultural Development and Food Security, Mr Fidelis Molao commended Pandamatenga farmers for continuing to export mung beans to the Asian market, despite challenges they were faced with.

Annually, farmers made an export of 7 402 tonnes amounting to over P49 million.

“I wish to call upon farmers to increasingly practice smart sustainable agriculture, which depletes neither the people nor the land and because of the climate change respond in all ways available,” he added.

Minister Molao was also happy that horticulture production was also increasing and farmers mostly supplied onions, water melons, butternuts, spinach and green mealies.

The minister also expressed gratitude at the value of production estimated at a little over P1 million in a ploughing season.

While the country required about 30 000 tonnes of cereal annually, the minister said strategies to improve food security included opening up more land in order to attract investors.

Mr Molao also thanked the National Development Bank (NDB) for its continued support in financing and regular up-skilling programmes.

Minister Molao further commended significant progress in the implementation of the Zambezi Integrated Agro-Commercial Development, which was aimed at establishing viable integrates commercial development to improve the country’s food security, diversify the sector and create employment for about 3 000 people.

Given the large financial input required, he said the project would be implemented through the Public Private Partnership (PPP), saying “the ministry has submitted a funding request to the African Development Bank to engage a transactional advisor and once this has been approved only then can other steps be carried out.”

On other projects, Mr Molao said the Pandamatenga Agricultural Infrastructure, which targeted drainage and roads improvements on a 45 000 hectares was complete and would be handed over soon.

NDB chief executive officer, Ms Lorato Morapedi said while 2019 was declared a drought year, the bank remained committed to the development of farming.

Ms Morapedi said NDB recognised that farming was central to human existence hence the bank’s commitment to the country’s aspiration of attaining food security.

As commitment, she said NDB had over the past 10 years funded the agriculture sector to the tune of P1.7 billion, out of which P500 million was invested in the Chobe region.

“Furthermore, we have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Pandamatenga Commercial Farmers Association (PCFA) which cements our partnership and commitment to develop the sector in this area and bring other economic benefits within the region,” she said.

She indicated that through the partnership, the bank encouraged commercial farmers to support to small scale farmers to improve output and efficiencies through information sharing, experiences and exchange ideas.

Also, she said such partnership had resulted in small scale farmers achieving average yields of 2.5 tonnes per hectare.

On the other hand, PCFA chairperson, Mr Hermann Venter suggested that the agriculture ministry reviewed importation of sorghum owing to its detrimental effects on the local producers.

While Mr Venter thanked the Pandamatenga and the Department of Crop Production joint venture of securing drones to help in controlling qualia birds which were a menace to the farming community.

In other issues, he commended Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board (BAMB) for the improved payment process, adding “but said there is still room for improvement and special attention should be given to the silos in Pandamatenga.”

Earlier in the welcome remarks, Kgosi David Mafikizolo appealed to the banks to provide services in Pandamatenga.

He also appealed to the commercial farmers to become part of the national activities in the village such as the celebration of Independence Day.

Chobe district council chairperson, Councillor Paul Chabaesele called on the agriculture ministry to come up with ways to harvest water drained from farms for reuse.

Cllr Chabaesele also called on government to consider having a university campus in Pandamatenga that would offer agriculture related courses.

He further appealed to farmers to assist the 30 destitute persons and the four in need of shelter in the village. ENDS