12 Jul 2020

Government is reviewing the national policy on agriculture to align it to modern needs and ways of addressing farmers’ needs. 

Speaking during a visit to the Phuduhudu cluster in Moshaweng extension area on Friday, Minister of Agricultural Development and Food Security, Dr Edwin Dikoloti said government was keeping its promise of creating opportunities for farmers to produce enough to feed the nation. 

He said farmers had been struggling to get financing and that with the review of the policy, the regulations would give commercial farmers an opportunity.

Dr Dikoloti also said modern methods of farming needed the necessary infrastructure such as roads, water and electricity for farmers to reach the peak of their produce. 

He promised Phuduhudu farmers that he would consult with the Ministy of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security to see how they could help farmers with electricity and telecommunication. 

The minister said they had observed that since the inception of ISPAAD in 2008, there had been an increase in area under production from 104 000 hectares to 263 752 hectares to date. However, he said it did not translate into optimal production per hectare. He noted that it should be between two to three tonnes per hectare as opposed to the current production of between 0.4 to 0.5 tonnes per hectare. 

Dr Dikoloti also said he was worried that fields were still underutilised even on fenced cluster fields which government had invested heavily on them. 

Nevertheless, he said government would continue to assist farmers to produce better yields and help increase their hectorage.

He said for the country to attain food security, subsistence farmers, who were in the majority, needed to be supported as they were more vulnerable. 

“There is poor linkages in the sector across the value chain. This has necessitated us to adopt cluster farming development strategy to prop up the value chains,” he said. 

He said he was happy that the Phuduhudu cluster was helping emerging farmers to learn from the aging active farmers. He noted that only five per cent of youth were active in farming. 

Dr Dikoloti also said it was important for farmers to build generational wealth so that the next generation could do better than them. He urged farmers never to give up as perseverance ultimately payed, and that they should continue to participate in agriculture to reach the goal of food security and sufficiency. 

Updating the minister on their needs as Phuduhudu farmers, a committee member, Mr Temo Nthatang said their cluster, which had 5 800 hectares of land, was handed over last year. He said they had planted 1 615 hectares and that the remaining hectares were underutilised. 

Mr Nthatang said they wanted the minister to help them conserve the indigenous seed of beans which had proven to be doing well in their cluster. 

He said they could not sell their seeds to the marketing board or even private entities as they wanted research on the seeds. 

He added Setswana beans had proven to be resistant to pests and to do well under harsh conditions. 

Mr Nthatang argued for the preservation of the beans and for research be undertaken so that they could produce them in large quantities. 

He said if they were empowered to undertake their production it would create employment opportunities for many. 

He said as farmers they were frustrated by monetary constraints to grow their production as agriculture was expensive. 

Mr Nthatang also said they needed their own agricultural officer to help them during the planting season. 

The chairperson of the Phuduhudu cluster, Mr Michael Gaorutwe said they had applied for electricity connection from Botswana Power Corporation and connection to telecommunications with service providers. 

He said they were still awaiting response and hoped that they would be assisted as soon as possible.

In his welcome remarks, Kgosi Kaisara Phuthego of Maboane said he was thankful for the visit by the minister.

   He said farmers had the ability to produce good yields, but that they needed the support of government. He added that they needed electricity and telecommunications to enhance their production. 

  Kgosi Phuthego also asked the minister to address the issue of shortage of transport for agriculture officers. 

   Giving a vote of thanks, Member of Parliament for Takatokwane, Mr Tshoganetso Leuwe said the Phuduhudu cluster was the cream of his constituency. 

  He stressed that if government could address the plea of farmers, a lot could be achieved for the betterment of Botswana. 

 Mr Leuwe said he would like the production of seeds to start at Phuduhudu cluster, as that would accord them an opportunity to produce on a large scale while at the same time feeding the nation and teaching others. Ends