08 Dec 2021

Lobu Farm in Kgalagadi District is to serve as a springboard for digitisation of small stock operations in the country.

Officiating at the first ever small stock production digitisation competition award ceremony in Gaborone yesterday, President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi said the farm would be digitised through SmartBots.

He explained that the use of technology in farm operations formed part of government’s priorities under the Reset Agenda.

The competition, which covered use of information communication technology in fodder production, robotics, data analysis and electronic ear tagging, was the beginning of the small stock production digital journey, he said.

Dr Masisi said government was committed to make youths realise that they could generate wealth through the use of technology and commercialising small stock farming where there were many untapped opportunities.

The President thanked cabinet ministers and all who contributed towards purchasing the competition’s prizes,  a Damara ram and Boer goat buck.

The buck went to Bezaleel Cooperative Society, run by a group of young small stock farmers in Malokaganyane near Good Hope while Kgosi Thembani of Wethemba Farms, Nkadialela lands, walked away with the ram.

Acting Minister of Agricultural Development and Food Security, Ms Beauty Manake said P46 000 was raised to get the ram and buck.

She said the winners were chosen from among eight applicants following a visit to their respective farms.

For his part, Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development, Mr Tumiso Rakgare said small stock production was popular among the youth both in rural and urban areas.

 Young people, he said, needed to be encouraged and supported in their efforts to use technology in small stock production as they were techno savvy.

The competition was organised by the Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food Security.BOPA