10 Feb 2020

Minister of Agricultural Development and Food Security, Dr Edwin Dikoloti has said following the declaration of drought during the 2018/19 season, several interventions were introduced to assist Batswana.

Dr Dikoloti told Parliament on February 7 that those interventions came at a total cost of over P147 million.

He said the interventions included a 25 per cent subsidy on livestock and poultry feeds, drugs and vaccines covering cattle and small stock.

Dr Dikoloti said feed ingredients and veterinary requisites were only introduced in December 2018.

He said the subsidy was later revised and increased to 35 per cent in July 2019 and its coverage extended to other sub-sectors such as dairy cattle, small scale poultry producers as well as piggery and added that the subsidy would run until June 30.

According to Dr Dikoloti, another intervention was a P3/kg subsidy on cattle sold at the Botswana Meat Commission (BMC), which was placed between June and September 2019.

There was also a temporary live cattle export dispensation, which is expected to come to an end on March 31.

He said in addition, the Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme administered from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development was used to assist commercial farmers.

The minister said the intensity of the drought had reduced after the latest rains, adding however that the Tswapong, Bobirwa, North East and northern districts remained under severe drought.

MP Polson Majaga of Nata/Gweta had asked the minister to explain how Batswana were assisted during the drought season and to state the amount of funds used.

He further asked the minister to state if the drought remained severe or if it had decreased.

MP Majaga further asked the minister if government realised value for money in the amount used to purge farmers from drought, saying Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board (BAMB) should have been at the fore front as the private companies were only looking for profits.

He further asked the minister to form partnership or collaboration with the Ministry of Land and Housing as farmers found it difficult to change their land use when faced with drought.

MP Majaga also said agricultural officers should be visible and be allocated enough resources for them to assist farmers during the drought period.

He also wanted the minister to have a long term plan on how the government would deal with issues of climate change.

MP Kenny Kapinga of Okavango asked the minister if they were able to track the number of cattle dying due to drought and offer relief.

Responding, Dr Dikoloti said government had realised they had not been offering adequate services, hence he would soon announce the changes his ministry would introduce in the next financial year.

Talking about BAMB, he said it had 39 branches across the country and private businesses served where there are no branches. 

He however said they had realised that some farmers purchase more than what they needed, making it difficult for other farmers to benefit. The minister said, ‘every year, a team goes across the country to assess the drought and hand a report with recommendations to the government’. 

On collaboration with the land ministry, he said the reformed land policy allowed farmers to use 50 per cent of their land on other uses than agricultural purposes.

 

Dr Dikoloti said farmers were to constantly keep records with the veterinary officers, but added that this was problematic as cattle travel led long distances during droughts, making it impossible for farmers to keep track. ENDS