04 Apr 2023

Rich soils and water resources found in Kgatleng place the area as a possible horticultural hub.

Consequently, Bakgatla have been urged to capitalise on the venture, which would enable them to contribute to the country’s economy, improve food security and reduce the import bill.

Kgatleng District Council chairperson, Mr Daniel Molokwe said this when officiating at the 2023 edition of Matsieng Pop Up Farm Market in Rasesa on Saturday.

He said Kgatleng was rightly placed to produce high value crops owing to the endowment of water resources and rich soils, which could contribute towards employment creation as well as benefit government’s school feeding programmes. Mr Molokwe said with the new procurement law that encouraged procuring from local communities, there was hope that their produce would sell.

He hailed Matsieng Home Gardens and Landscaping Management for organising the event and opening their establishment to other farmers to sell their produce, share information and expand networks as well as allowing those in the agricultural sector to exhibit their products and services.

Agriculture, he said, was a source of sustenance for many in rural areas.

“As a result, the importance of agriculture to social and economic growth, poverty reduction, food security, and nutrition remain central to our country,” said Mr Moloko. Mr Molokwe commended government for notable developments meant to improve food security and champion agricultural development through local production, reduction of import bill, diversifying the sector, value addition, employment, promotion of consumption of local foodstuff and establishment of agricultural based poverty eradication projects.

Furthermore, he highlighted that government continued to create initiatives aimed at improving farming in Botswana by empowering farmers as well as assisting and enabling them to ensure the country attained food security and reduced import bill to acceptable levels.

He said government was tweaking some agricultural schemes and methods of farming, one such being Temo letlotlo, to align them with current needs and address challenges of agriculture output and service delivery.

Since government imposed restriction on the importation of some horticultural products, farmers are now able to produce certain commodities which for the longest time were imported, Mr Molokwe said.

“This clearly shows that we can do more as a nation in attaining food self-sufficiency,” he said.

The pop up market was meant to benefit farmers with insights from different stakeholders on how they could leverage on digital transformation in farming, services offered by Local Enterprise Authority, agribusiness, entrepreneurship and wildlife farming, among other topics. ENDS