03 Oct 2023

Temo-Letlotlo, a commercial agricultural programme replacing ISPAAD, is tipped to contribute a lot to food security.

When implemented and taken seriously, the programme will help farmers produce quality crops for both local and export markets, thereby propelling the country to an export-led economy, Assistant Minister of Agriculture, Mr Molebatsi Molebatsi has said.

Speaking during a Bobirwa District Council sitting recently, the assistant minister said although the President was yet to launched the new programme, Temo-Letlotlo was expected to be rolled out this coming ploughing season. 

Unlike its predecessor, Temo-Letlotlo will be a commercially inclined programme where farmers will be expected to meet certain targets set for them.

The farmers, upon registration and collection of inputs, may be made to sign agreements on production unlike with ISPAAD that bore no onus on the farmer, the assistant minister said.

Although Mr Molebatsi did not want to preempt the new programme, he said it would involve a lot of technology. 

Extension officers, he said, were already furnished with gadgets for data collection at ploughing fields. 

Gathered information will be fed into the ministry data collection centre and used for future assessments.

In addition, the assistant minister said the ministry would use weather stations already procured to understand weather patterns with precision.

“We will invest a lot of funds in farming so that we attain our aim of becoming an export-led economy while we also produce quality products,” said Mr Molebatsi.

Mr Molebatsi, who is also a Member of Parliament for Mmadinare, said those not interested in commercial farming should find other programmes within the ministry to help in their subsistence course.

The assistant minister also announced that National Development Bank would be transformed into agriculture bank in order to steer farming into greater levels.

On other issues, Mr Molebatsi said that the ban on importation of vegetables had seen emergence of new farmers as well as some commercial farmers refining their farming.

The assistant minister said the ban also developed agriculture businesses and value chains.

On livestock farming, Mr Molebatsi said the ministry requested P93 million from Parliament to develop artificial insemination labs. 

Already, the ministry has purchased bulls and straws from Texas, USA, to help improve quality of cattle in the country.

Mr Molebatsi said there were 248 513 straws in Ramatlabama and in addition 12 200 more were being procured. 

He encouraged farmers to buy straws, which were kept at the Ramatlabama lab. 

He also encouraged farmers to attend artificial insemination course for 19 days at a cost of P500 per trainee. ends