17 Nov 2013

Farmers in Tsetseng and some parts of Kweneng have been advised to consider working in clusters to boost their production.

Speaking at a one-day activity of taking the Ministry of Agriculture to the people at Tsetseng in Letlhakeng Sub-district, on Thursday, November 14, the acting district agriculture coordinator for Kweneng, Ms Kgotso Ntshole-Madisa advised that when farmers worked in clusters, it was much easier for the ministry to offer them assistance.

“If you cluster yourselves, it will be easier for you to summon a veterinary officer or an agricultural demonstrator because he will be coming to assist a large group of people, but it becomes difficult when a single farmer summons such an officer because of resource constraints,” she said

Ms Ntshole-Madisa said when working in a cluster, farmers could even contribute and buy a bull that they could share, something which might not be possible for a lone farmer. She said clustering even made it easier when transporting cattle to the market as they could contribute and share a single truck to transport their cattle.

Transporters, she said, would be more willing to come directly to farmers working in clusters because they would find a large number of cattle at one place, saving them costs on transportation.

Ms Ntshole-Madisa also revealed to the farmers that the ministry has divided the country according to its areas of potential production so as to channel relevant advice to such areas.

Kweneng, she added, has proved to do well in rearing of cattle and small stock as well as crops like beans and animal fodder Ms Ntshole-Madisa however, said crops such as maize have proved to do badly in the area and people should avoid investing in them.  

The ministry’s intention, she said was to take services to the people, especially in areas which the ministry did not have easy access to, so that initiatives do not just turn into idle talk without any action.

“The ministry of agriculture is aware that in some areas we do not have offices such as agricultural demonstrators or veterinary officers, and this is the reason why we have come up with this initiative of taking the ministry to the people,” she said. For his part, Kgosi Matausu Gaothuse of Tsetseng appreciated the efforts of the Ministry of Agriculture for bringing services to his small villages especially that residents depend solely on agriculture for a living.

He was hopeful that farming would improve afterwards as residents would have acquired all the necessary education to improve production. Kgosi Gaothuse complained of lack of transport to travel to Molepolole and Letlhakeng to access services under the ministry, and commended the ministry for being active in bringing services to their village of late.

Kweneng farmers’ committee chairperson, Mr Tlotlo Batlhophi urged residents to apply the information they have acquired and decried the tendency by farmers in the area to abandon their fields as soon as they are paid their claims after ploughing. ENDS