16 Feb 2023

Like a hen that protects its chicks beneath the wings, Sego-Sa-Letlotlo, a youth potato bag farming project in Francistown is equally determined to nurture their first crop of potatoes to an enviable harvest.

Farm manager, Ms Agnes Joseph said they were looking forward to a bumper harvest of valor potatoes come April.

The potato bag farming project, located along Marimavu road at Block 1, has close to 5 000 bags, each with six tubers of the valor with a harvest of up to 30kg of potatoes from a single plant.

The Valor variety produces heavy crops of white skinned potatoes with creamy flesh which is good for mashing and roasting.

Ms Joseph said the market research in Francistown and surrounding areas had indicated a high demand for potatoes in the area.

She explained that potato bag farming had some quick returns as it germinated fast.

Other benefits include saving garden space and dealing with few weeds in bags.

“In that regard, we want to make Francistown a market centre for potatoes and create employment for our people especially the youth,” she added.

In addition, Ms Joseph explained that the Valor variety was ideal for organic production due to outstanding resistance to potato diseases such as early and late blight as well as bacterial wilt.

She said currently the project had engaged 55 committed youths from different locations in Francistown.

“Though agriculture is labour intensive, the type of youth that we have here are committed and hard working,” she added.

She explained that the next planting season will see the project relocating to a 12-hectare farm along the same route.

“We want to attract more players in this project as it has the potential to grow and sustain the local economy,” she said, adding that several chain supermarkets in Francistown had indicated readiness to buy their produce.

She disclosed that the project was working closely with the Ministry of Agriculture to assist with expertise whenever they spotted a pest or some disease. ENDS