09 Sep 2020

The Integrated Support Progaramme for Arable Agriculture Development (ISPAAD) is undergoing evaluation in preparation for review.

Answering a question in Parliament on Tuesday, Assistant Minister of Agricultural Development and Food Security, Ms Beauty Manake said the review process would consider a wide range of aspects meant to improve delivery and output of the programme.

Key aspects, to be considered, she said would be inputs subsidies and how they  would be implemented 

Ms Manake said productivity and value for money shall form part of the programme that would come out of the review of ISPAAD.

“It is envisaged that a  coordinated assessment would dictate specific component to be included in the programme such that it becomes efficient and effective,” she said.

Furthermore, she said  currently ISPAAD had provision of potable water to clusters components for domestic use only.

Under the components, she said the ministry drilled or equipped boreholes or even purchased existing boreholes to be used by farmers within the cluster, adding that the boreholes were managed by cluster management committees.

She said the drilling and equipping of boreholes for livestock watering was also undertaken through special ISPAAD for both resource poor and for farmers owning up to 200 cattle.Ms Manake said the programme was predominantly done in Kgalagadi,Gantsi,Kweneng West and Ngwaketse West area, adding another programme which is LIMID,drills equips and reticulate water for farmers incorporation of provision of water for livestock would be considered under integrates farming during the ISPAAD review.

Kgalagadi North, Member of Parliament Talitha Monnakgotla, had  asked the minister of Agricultural Development and Food Security to consider reviewing the Integrated Support Programme for Arable Agriculture Development (ISPAAD) programme package to cater for cluster borehole, water surveying and drilling for livestock water, which was a major challenge to pastoral farmers in the Kgalagadi North Constituency. ends