25 Oct 2022

Ntlo Ya Dikgosi has heard that the Ministry of Agriculture will not consider removal of tree stumps in the fields under the Integrated Support Programme for Arable Agriculture Development (ISPAAD).

Responding to a question at Ntlo Ya Dikgosi on Monday, assistant minister, Mr Molebatsi Molebatsi said that was because ISPAAD was ending this cropping season.

Mr Molebatsi told Ntlo Ya Dikgosi that removal of tree stumps in the fields was done during the Accelerated Rainfed Arable Programme (ARAP) in the early 1980s and some farmers benefited from the project.

He added that ISPAAD also went a step further by assisting with inputs and draught power to plough and plant the fields.

“However, ISPAAD has always promoted cluster farming and de-stumping for established clusters was amongst the targeted provisions,” he said.

Kgosi Disho Ndhowe of Okavango region had asked the minister if he would consider including removal of tree stumps in the fields under ISPAAD so that people in the region could benefit from the advanced government initiatives such as ploughing fields with tractors. ENDS