30 Oct 2013

Farmers in Pyetle, near Moshupa have been advised to use the Ipelegeng programme to uproot mogau, a poisonous plant that kills livestock in their area.

Area MP, Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi made the call during a kgotla meeting he addressed in the area on October 28. Mr Masisi, urged the farmers who had complained of the encroachment of the plant in their ploughing fields and grazing land to form an association in order to assist each other.

Since the land slopes, Mr Masisi advised farmers not to use any chemicals especially slyphosphate to contain the plant, fearing it might get washed into the nearby dam during rainy seasons, thus rendering the water unfit for human and livestock consumption.

On other issues, Mr Masisi informed farmers that government would equip the borehole in the area in due course but warned them to use it equitably to avoid unnecessary conflicts. He also warned them not to keep large herds of livestock in the area that was relatively small and surrounded by hills, to avoid overgrazing.

Mr Masisi, who is also Minister for Presidential and Public Administration, promised each household a solar lamp and a peach tree. He further advised farmers to take advantage of government assistance programmes such as ISPAAD to produce more food, noting that yields were still low despite the huge amount of money government invested on the programmes.

The sub-district crops production officer, Mr Keneilwe Kenosi reiterated that using chemicals to control mogau in the area might contaminate water sources. He said physically uprooting mogau tuber was the easiest and cheapest method of controlling the plant, adding that 20 litres of slyphosphate cost P1 300 to be used per every five hectares. ENDS