21 Dec 2020

Agricultural business coordinator, Mr Boweditswe Masilo says government did not deprive farmers by making them register for Integrated Support Programme for Arable Agriculture Development (ISPAAD).

Addressing Tonota Agricultural Mechanisation Association (TAMA), Mr Masilo said by registering farmers, the government wanted to establish the number of farmers who were going to benefit from being given seeds for the four hectares ploughed at government’s cost.

He urged farmers to embrace the programme as it was designed to improve their livelihoods and increase the food basket.

He said the extension of the ploughing season was done by the relevant department looking at the state of the weather.

Mr Masilo called on tractor owners to work together and coordinate their activities in order to assist farmers, adding that the shortage of ploughing equipment could lead to delays in ploughing.

The chairperson of TAMA, Mr Reuben Motswakae said farmers started ploughing on the understanding that there would be no changes, adding that there was an official communication that the new guidelines would be ready for implementation next year.

He said TAMA believed that the transition would negatively affect the ploughing season hence the request to suspend the transition period until next year.

He emphasised that they did not have problems with the new changes except that the communication reached them when ploughing had already started.

In response, members of TAMA association said all their recommendations, including those of other associations, had never said five hectares should be reduced but in fact had advocated for an increase.

They said government should pay for those who had planted five hectares before the changes, adding that they would not be able to pay P1 160 while those who bought seeds from their own pocket should also be paid by government.

They noted that the registration came when the ploughing season had started, and that TAMA had never applied to the government that they would plough for farmers. He said it was a request and pledge by the government that it would pay.

Area Member of Parliament, Mr Pono Moatlhodi said the crafting of end of ploughing season should be made specific and known. He also added that it should be increased to avoid extensions, saying that registration for next year’s seeds should start at the end of the current ploughing season. ends