08 Oct 2013

Famers committees are a critical component to improving agriculture production and food security in Botswana, Assistant Minister of Agriculture, Mr Oreeditse Molebatsi has said.

Addressing residents of Lekgwapheng ward in Molepolole on October 7, he said effective farmers’ committees helped put government in a stronger position to efficiently deploy its assistance and resources in a more focused and coordinated manner.

The assistant minister said the committees provided guidance in terms of accessibility of government services such as provision of seeds, fertilisers and general growth of the agriculture sector and problems encountered by backyard and ISPAAD programme beneficiaries.

Mr Molebatsi said farmers should not just rely on civil servants to give feedback on the progress or problems in the agriculture sector, but should rather be at the forefront by forming such committees in their village.

He said such committees should closely work with agriculture demonstrators and veterinarians to distribute seeds and fertilisers to farmers and drive issues such as livestock vaccination and allow officers to concentrate on core duties.

He said when many people partake in agriculture, numbers of citizens relying on government handouts and the Ipelegeng programme would reduce, because of potential revenue from agricultural activities.

On other issues, he said the new arrangement when applying for farming plots, farmers might choose the current practice or opt for integrated farming plots where related land use will be allowed . He said this would bring about high and sustained production levels as farmers’ resources would be channelled to developing one piece of land with multiple land use.

Mr Molebatsi said farmers woukd be allowed to practice mixed farming such as rearing of animals alongside crop and poultry production as long as they don’t allow their livestock to forage in other farmers fields.

 “So fence your fields, because if your cattle destroy other people’s crops you will not be allowed to practice mixed farming.” He informed residents that as a way to improve agriculture production, during this ploughing season farmers utilising ISPAAD would be only use row planting rather than the conventional broadcasting.

The assistant minister said the broadcasting had a lower return to the P200 million put in by government through ISPAAD.  As such, the ministry has decided to assist only farmers who are willing to adopt the programme in full which includes usage of planters. Ends