18 Oct 2020

President Dr Mokgwetsi Masisi on Thursday October 15 donated a ram to 32-year-old Mr Mogogi Manopole of Segomotlhabe Lands near Kgope in the Kweneng District.

President Masisi said the small stock initiative was in line with Vision 2036 pillars of a sustainable economic development and human and social development. He further said that as the champion of the vision, he must ensure that it became a reality.

For her part, director of monitoring and evaluation at Vision 2036, Ms Koontse Mokgwathi called on every Motswana to partake in the vision in order to have a desired future. 

Further she encouraged the youth  to emulate Mr Manopole and drive the agriculture bubble.

For his part, Minister of Agricultural Development and Food Security, Mr Karabo Gare said President Masisi’s initiative could not have come at the right time as nations were reeling from COVID-19 aftermath. 

He thanked the President, saying agriculture was the only way out of poverty and the only alternative force since this country had been reliant on one commodity for long a long time.

Area MP, Ms Nnaniki Makwinja said  with Saudi Arabia consuming about half a million of sheep annually,  Batswana could also tap on this market niche, should each district supply about 25 000 sheep annually.

She also said there was ample grazing land in the area with rich soils suitable for small stock rearing.

The young farmer showed gratitude and thanked President Masisi for his noble gesture. 

He said the ram was a seed he was going to sow and the results would be of benefit to the area.

Mr Manopole is a LIMID beneficiary, who was given eight sheep and a ram in 2015.  

According to agricultural scientific officer, Mr Bayapo Raditsebe, he sold some sheep and bought four goats to diversify.  

The beneficiary aspires to improve his mixed flock for a sustainable project.  ENDS