24 Aug 2023

Organisers of the National Agricultural Show in Gaborone say they propose to sell the sector to the world to grow the local agriculture sector.

The show themed: “Enhancing agricultural productivity through utilisation of modern technologies will on Friday be officially opened by a staunch farmer, Dr Cliff Lamb, Director of Texas A&M Agrilife in the United States.

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi and Vice President Mr Slumber Tsogwane are expected to grace the official opening ceremony.

The Vice Chairperson of the National Agricultural Show, Mr Samuel Mapitse, said in an interview on Wednesday that the idea of roping in experts into the sector from afar was meant to learn from them.

“We are confident that they will share with us new and technologically advanced methods of smart agriculture which at the end will grow the sector,” he said.

Mr Mapitse said the road to the national event started in April with the district agricultural shows. All exhibitors at the national event were champions at district level.

He said arable farmers were engaged through field walks and harvest days to assess whether it would be possible to host the national agricultural show.

District shows, crop exhibitions and farmers days were used to assess animals and crops that made it to the main event.   Based on assessment done at district level and other farm exhibitions, Mr Mapitse said farmers were in a position to select the best crops and animals for the national exhibition. He said the first two days of the week-long event were reserved for judging of the exhibits among them cattle, small stock, poultry and crops.

Mr Mapitse said the judges were selected based on their area of specialisation. To ensure transparency and credible judging process in accordance with international standards, he said the judging panels were made of locals and those from neighbouring countries.

Mr Mapitse said the quality of the exhibits was testimony of the fact that the local farming community was not only determined to resuscitate the agricultural sector but to equally produce quality products that would ensure food sustenance and sell surplus harvests and produce to the export market.

He also said the farmers were using the knowledge that was imparted on them by agriculture officials across the sector value chain.

He assured the nation that with efforts made by the farmers, the nation would not starve.

He said the sector was doing enough to preserve indigenous breeds and varieties although it was improving the quality of harvest  and other products through imported genetics.

Most of the exhibited sorghum varieties were indigenous. Show organisers encourge farmers  to favour indigenous varieties for their ability to withstand local weather conditions. He said it was important for farmers produce enough food to feed the nation.

Although hybrids produced more harvest than indigenous breeds, Mr Mapitse, said farmers were encouraged to cultivate crops and rear animals that would do best in the country’s prevailing weather conditions.

 Mr Mapitse said that the current season has been declared drought period, a situation which has somehow affected the show in general, even though the numbers of exhibits have slightly increased.

He said compared with the previous years, the current crop exhibitors have dropped, therefore indicating the negative implications of drought. Mr Mapitse said the oil seeds (ground nuts and sunflower) had 42, 108 legume, 75 cereal, 50 for preserved food and 82 from the horticultural side.

Mr Mapitse  said this was a sign that Batswana farmers were working hard to explore the opportunities presented by the show. Under the livestock sector, he said,  the show had 751 exhibits: cattle 222, sheep 172, goats 224, pigs 28 and poultry with 151 exhibits.   Mr Mapitse said the agricultural sector offered various businesses not just crops and livestock but also fodder production, veterinary and pesticides services as well as machinery and infrastructure.

He said some of the businesses were exhibiting modern, advanced technological equipment and knowledge aimed at revamping the sector. Mr Mapitse said his committee has issued 15 stalls to women, of which five were youthful women at no cost.  ENDS