03 Mar 2020

Legislators on Monday approved budget proposals for the Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food Security.

When debating the proposals, Member of Parliament for Tonota, Mr Pono Moatlhodi said Zone 7 had been declared a Red Zone for 10 years, hence farmers being unable to buy or sell cattle.

He said they would like to sell their cattle to the Botswana Meat Commission (BMC).

MP Moatlhodi called for decentralisation of veterinary services since farmers were forced to travel long distances to Selebi Phikwe.

He further said developments to be undertaken at Ramatlabama Artificial Insemination Centre should be done in Sese to assist farmers in the central part of the country.

MP Moatlhodi said farmers from Tshokwe to Thune were tormented by cattle rustlers who sneaked their cattle into Zimbabwe.

MP for Francistown South, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi said broadcasting method had been used and identified as one of the farming methods with advantages and disadvantages.

He said the method enabled Batswana to take advantage of the unreliable rainfall, which had been worsened by effects of climate change.

MP Mmolotsi said the practice required farmers to frequent their fields and through thinning, ensure their plants did not fight over nutrients.

He further said farmers should be assisted to have boreholes in their fields and government should subsidise the prices of tractors and other equipment used in food production.

The Francistown South legislator said Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) and Botswana Vaccine Institute (BVI), given their many years of operation and track record, should be multinational companies.

He called for an increase in compensation for cattle killed because of diseases such as Foot and Mouth and predators, saying the P700 current prize would reduce Batswana to peasants.

Specially Elected MP, Mr Kgotla Autlwetse, said an increase in milk production would also enable the country to produce its by-products such as cheese.

He further said Mmamashia could be a horticultural hub given availability of underground water and therefore farmers should be assisted with solar powered boreholes.

MP Motsamai Motsamai of Ghanzi South said establishment of a beef industry regulatory authority should be speeded since farmers had been disadvantaged by the BMC.

He said there should be a training facility for farmers adding that despite the introduction of AI, beef production had not improved.

MP Motsamai said the AI centre in Metsimantsho had turned into a white elephant despite the amount put to build the infrastructure.

He further stated that the officers stationed there have no proper accommodation with some staying in dilapidated buildings.

Responding to the MP’s comments, the Minister of Agricultural Development and Food Security, Dr Edwin Dikoloti said government would improve ISPAAD to ensure maximum food production.

He further said government was providing boreholes through cluster farming, adding this would require realignment of ploughing fields to ensure easy accessibility.

The minister encouraged Batswana to lease their unused farms to others.

On the National Drought Strategy, he said government had realised that the country was constantly hit by droughts, adding that the expansion of Ramatlabama centre should enable farmers to improve their livestock.

Farmers should be able to store semen of their best bulls for future use, he added. Through the adoption of new technologies, the centre also aims at introducing embryo transfer. The minister however said there was no need to build additional centres across the country. ENDS