18 May 2021

 A citrus farmer has called on government to subsidise electricity installation at farms with the aim of assisting farmers to produce enough to feed the nation and even export.

Mr Daniel Magwana, who has 800 citrus plants in the initial phase of his three hectare project, observed that horticulture famers faced serious challenges of electricity owing to high installation fees and monthly tariffs.

Speaking during Assistant Minister of Agricultural Development and Food Security tour of his farm recently, Mr Magwana said farmers spent a fortune on electrifying their farms.He said while some could afford the charges some struggled and hence it affected their production.

Having started his project in 2010 with the first plants put into the soil in January 2011, Mr Magwana said he was required to pay P320 000 for a stretch of 700 metres from his retirement package from Debswana.

Mr Magwana, who is also councillor for Molalatau, said he paid over P5 000 for monthly electricity usage in his farm. He complained that the fee was too hefty for farmers.

The citrus farmer, who plans on planting onions and potatoes, suggested that government could also help farmers with solar electricity, still at subsidised rates.

Part of his argument was that electricity was reliable yet expensive. Consequently, farmers resorted to rationing their watering in order to avoid prolonged electricity usage, a move he observed negatively affected production of quality fruits and vegetables.

Mr Magwana is also planning to plant 50 000 mango trees at his other farm along the Motloutse River with a view of producing mango atchar in the village.

 However, he pleaded for land since the current space could only allow for 20 000 trees.

Speaking after the tour, Assistant Minister Beauty Manake said her tour was meant to appreciate successes and challenges faced by farmers with a view to fix where possible.

Ms Manake observed that there was need for farmers to change their mindset towards farming. She noted that it was expensive for Batswana farmers to get citrus seedlings, and that when they did it was expensive. 

She said her tour would also ensure that they packaged information appropriately and identify gaps to close in the process. 

For his part, Bobonong MP, Mr Taolo Lucas said farmers had informed him that drilling boreholes and equipping them was a daunting challenge.

He said it was paradoxical that farmers in Bobirwa, with ample underground water, could struggle to get water to their farms. He called for financial institutions to be receptive to farmers who seek financial assistance either to start or further develop their farming.  ends