20 Aug 2020

North West District Commissioner (DC), Mr Keolopile Leipego says Batswana are capable of improving the country’s food security by taking farming seriously and staying focused on production.

He made the remarks in an interview following a recent tour farms, whose owners had been identified by the Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food Security, in collaboration with Okavango River Basin Water Commission (OKACOM), for a horticultural demonstration project, in an effort to improve food security in Ngamiland.

Acknowledging that there was a lot of potential, Mr Leipego stressed the need for farmers to demonstrate commitment and hard work in their projects to reap high yields.

OKACOM intends to contribute in improving the socio-economic status of local communities across the basin, with minimum adverse impact to and enhanced protection of the basin ecosystem.

In Botswana, the demonstration project focuses on enhancing horticultural production in Maun/Shakawe, through climate-smart practices, with a view to link horticultural production, with the up-market tourism value chain and other local markets.

Mr Leipego said he was impressed that all the projects he visited were flourishing and believed that through support, farmers could produce enough to feed the nation and stop importation of some goods.

“I am impressed as farmers have proven to be committed and passionate about what they are doing. 

They have shown high levels of seriousness as they were staying at the farms 24/7 and I believe they could produce more,” he added.

He acknowledged the hard work displayed by the farmers and hailed OKACOM for coming up with the brilliant initiative, which he said could take the district to greater heights in food security.

OKACOM provided shade netting and equipped boreholes for those who owned them and ensured that those without boreholes had water points and sourced water from the river.

Mr Leipego noted that some farmers came up with ways to diversify production and grow their projects as they had planted fruit trees. 

The success of the OKACOM initiative, he said would go a long way in diversifying the district's economy, by ensuring that business people take part in the value chain of the tourism sector.

He was optimistic that the market would become available as most economic sectors emerge from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, citing tourism businesses such as lodges and hotels.

Ngamiland Council of Non-Governmental Organisations (NCONGO) is at the helm of project implementation.

NCONGO executive director, Mr Siyoka Simasiku confirmed that they were supporting implementation processes of the horticulture demonstration project, the goal being to maximise production, while ensuring consistency of supply of quality farm products hence contributing to improving socio-economic status of local communities

The project, he said started with 20 farmers, but currently only seven were operating in Maun and surrounding areas. 

 Others farmers, he said were unable to continue due to water shortage following the drying of the Thamalakane River.

In the Okavango sub-district, Mr Simasiku said they had six young farmers whose farms met the set criteria to be used as demonstration sites.  

He revealed that infrastructure development within the selected demonstration farms was ongoing.

 

He said a horticulture specialist had been recruited to mentor the farmers at their respective farms on a daily basis, to help facilitate the process. BOPA