02 Dec 2013

November is usually a period when arable farmers along the Boteti river water stream, commonly known as molapo farming, experience their first harvest.

Since the Boteti River came back to life a few years ago, molapo farming in Boteti West has been at its peak increasing food in the area. This year, however, appears to tell a different story as most of the fields are still dry with only a handful having cultivated small portions.

The drought spell which hit the country seems central to the situation, as the river started flowing late which compromised the amount of moisture in the soil. Even though wildlife are a perpetual troublemaker for farmers, crop cultivators nonetheless usually enjoy the first and second harvest of November and December.

During the 2012/2013 ploughing season, Molapo farmers cultivated 502 hectares of land focusing mainly on maize coupled with other crops such as beans, sweet reed, sugar cane and pumpkins.

Of the 271 farmers who ploughed along the Boteti river 188 were females and 83 males. As for the whole of Boteti 1414 hectares were cultivated with a total harvest of 743 metric tons.

President Lt Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama noted in his recent address to the nation that for a second successive year agriculture growth has been hampered by inadequate rainfall, resulting in country wide crop failure and poor grazing.

Consequently, he had declared another drought year. The Revised National Policy on Agriculture Development, he announced, was being completed for implementation to accelerate diversification and commercialisation of the sector while reaching out to disadvantaged groups.

President Khama also said Livestock Advisory Centres (LAC) will now sell some livestock feeds at a subsidized price. The dry spell, especially in Boteti, has also extended to pastoral farming. For starters, the area is naturally dry, with little rainfall resulting in poor forage which cannot sustain livestock in the area.

The season appears to be a painful ordeal for an ordinary Motswana, whose life is wholly dependent on agriculture. Cows with calves have almost failed motherhood as they cannot offer young ones any milk due to lack of food.  A calf dies while sucking its mother’s teats while a majority are left parentless as their mothers die due to drought.

Some calves perish under the scorching heat while trailing behind their mothers for an average 30 kilometres in search of pastures. Some cattle stay for days without water as their weakened bodies cannot cope with the long distances travelled between the watering point (Boteti River) and grazing areas.  There is little hope for herd boys and farmers tasting fresh milk or even sour milk in the near future.

Communities in the area still prefer their traditional way of doing both, doubling as cattle herders and crop cultivators. Most parts of Boteti west have been turned into a dry barren, characterised mostly by smoke like swirling winds taking all the fertile soils away, while thousands of cattle are always spotted in long queues moving at a snail pace with little energy to carry their bone reveling bodies crossing the main road from either side in search of forage.

The area is so dry characterised mainly by acacia thorny shrubs scattered all over, provide little for livestock, the sky is also quiet with no signs of opening up soon to quench the thirsty land. Even the flowing Boteti river is of little help as water alone will not sustain an animal with an empty stomach.

In an effort to address the situation and reduce their stock population some farmers had sold a few of their able bodied cattle and small stock recently through the Department of Veterinary Services for the restocking exercise at the FMD troubled areas of Bobirwa and Zone 6, but it was too little too late as most of the animals were so weak and could not even lift their hooves to climb into a truck destined for Matsiloje.

Their hope of having identified a lucrative market for their livestock in Francistown also turned up into an awakening call as some fraudster dealers had taken advantage of the eagerness to sell their weakening cattle before he disappeared without a trace.

The livestock was sold on credit with the dealers promising to pay later but failed to honor their promises. Police are now on the hunt for the fraudsters who have disappeared with hundreds of cattle valued at over P800 000.

The Boteti West area was also recovering from a long spell of FMD. The area was for some time in the past declared a red zone, with cattle accumulating as there was nowhere to sell due to outbreak of FMD. The drought spell has hit at a time when it hurts the most, as the country is striving for self-sustenance in terms of food production and even for the BMC to slaughter enough cattle to satisfy the EU market.

The revival of the agricultural sector which is dependent on rain and mostly affected by drought is key in achieving food security and producing enough beef for EU market. With cattle having such little energy to even confront a predator in an effort to save their lives, lactating hyena will have little trouble looking for food to serve its family a full meal on a daily basis.

However, despite the situation being at its worst, some seasoned farmers do not despair, they remain hopeful as a few could be noted tilling the dry soil, while a few seedling of maize had started sprawling in some of the fields along the river banks. One of the farmers Mr Jonas Jekhwa of Xagadomo cattle post in the Kedia area said the situation will impact negatively on his livelihood as he is dependent on cattle and crop production for family income. Mr Jekhwa said to date 23 of his cattle died due to drought.

 He said some of the cattle got stuck in the mud while drinking from the river as they had little energy to pull out after and die still standing inside the water. He however applauded government’s effort of subsidizing stock feed to help farmers supplement the little that cattle can get from the dry forest. Kgosi Kopano Mabona has also decried the situation at different forums in the sub district adding that during the last raining season, Boteti West did not receive enough rains to sustain the environment.  Kgosi Mabona has called on government to provide enough supplementary feeds at LAC to rescue farmers from the drought situation. Ends