02 Apr 2020

Farmers not residing at cattle posts and farms have been urged to stay home during the state of emergency period which commences on April 2 midnight. 

The advice was given by Minister of Agricultural Development and Food Security, Dr Edwin Dikoloti at a joint press conference with three other ministers in Gaborone on April 2.

Dr Dikoloti, who said many Batswana had flocked the ministry’s offices seeking permits to go to their farming areas, explained that the coronavirus was spread by people moving from one place to the other therefore farmers might spread it to their farm employees and vice versa. He further pointed out that farmers did not know their coronavirus status and would be putting their investments at risk.

Farmers were told to stick to the common practice of visiting farms once in a while to check on their farm investments and return to their duty stations.

Dr Dikoloti said issuance of permits would be restricted to farmers ferrying animals for slaughter. He appealed to Batswana to apply online as a way of reducing congestion at offices as well as the risk of contracting and transmitting the virus. On another issue, the minister promised that disease surveillance, more specially on Foot and Mouth, would continue. Ends