08 Mar 2023

Shortage of farm land in Kgalagadi North is so grave that the area Member of Parliament has pleaded with government to extend communal areas into the Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) for farming.

Commenting on the Ministry of Lands and Water Affairs’ budget estimates for the 2023/2024 financial year on Tuesday, Ms Talita Monnakgotla said the extension would allow for demarcation of small farms to expand the agricultural sector, particularly along the Hunhukwe/Ghanzi region. Despite appreciating government’s efforts to develop farming in

Botswana, Ms Monnakgotla was worried that shortage of farm land in her constituency crippled farmers’ progress to graduate into full time commercial farmers.

Also a challenge in the MP’s area was access to potable water but she was happy about the ongoing study on quantification of saline groundwater resources in Kgalagadi, which she said would give technical direction on how to use the resources.

She said Hukuntsi and other surrounding villages currently depended on water bowsing from Kang, but the MP was hopeful that the planned Ncojane/Kgalagadi North water project would be promptly implemented to address the situation.

For his part, Moshupa/Manyana MP, Mr Karabo Gare was of the view that prioritising reticulation of water across the country would assist in attaining the intended infrastructure development projects.

Mr Gare welcomed the Moshupa sanitation project that involved construction of sewerage infrastructure which would safely dispose of the sewage generated in the village.

The MP urged the lands and water affairs minister to include in the development budget, construction of the Manyana stormwater drainage.

In his comments, Maun West MP, Mr Dumelang Saleshando decried the rapid corruption scandals that he said marred water project tenders.

Mr Saleshando opined that awarding of tenders was politically intended for a certain group of elites.

Meanwhile, responding to MPs’ comments and concerns, Minister of Lands and Water Affairs, Dr Kefentse Mzwinila said reducing WMAs in Kgalagadi for communal grazing purposes would require consultations with other concerned ministries.

On the Ncojane/Kgalagadi North water project, Dr Mzwinila indicated that the awarding of the tender was delayed owning to matters before the courts of law.

He emphasised the ministry’s commitment towards rooting out corruption in tender awarding through promotion of transparency in the exercise.

Meanwhile, Parliament approved over P7.1 billion comprising P6 billion to cover the ministry’s development budget and P1.1 billion for the recurrent budget in the next financial year.

The largest share of the development budget would fund water supply pipelines programme. ENDS