15 Feb 2024

The National Development Bank (NDB) has already disbursed P142 million to farmers for Temo Letlotlo, an initiative which is aimed at improving food security at both household and national level in Botswana.

 Speaking at the media engagement on Wednesday, Chief Executive Officer of the NDB, Ms Ogone Madisa, said the funds would ensure that farmers supported government’s efforts to improve food security in the country.

“The P142m covers farmers for both micro to commercial levels,” she said. “We are currently doing an average production of 1.5 tonnes per hectare but aspiring to be at 3.5 tonnes per hectare.” For his part, NDB’s Temo Letlotlo project manager, Mr Bosa Gaofiwe, said the initiative was a reward-based programme and productivity output driven that supported agriculture.

“For NDB to provide financial inclusivity into agricultural production farming, it means there are those that will get supported with 100 per cent grant financing under Temo Letlotlo but will be closely monitored, so that nobody goes to bed hungry, because of food,” he said.

Mr Gaofiwe said such financial intermediation would change the country’s agricultural landscape as the bank assisted with micro scale payments to suppliers supporting structures such as tractor owners. Again, he said, they were also administering seasonal loans, extending loans, subsidised tractor and fencing scheme as well as interest subsidy schemes.

He added: “NDB is transitioning to an agri-bank. The bank will play an active role in the national agricultural sector projects hence the need to start with the substantial concessional funding for the agricultural sector.” He said as a financial institution, part of NDB’s role was to ensure that funds unlocked private capital and ensured that Temo Letlotlo fund was self-sustaining, including reducing fiscal burden on government. Thus, he urged farmers to partner with NDB to secure food for Batswana.

On one hand, he said, the Ministry of Agriculture had reported that the 2023/24 ploughing season was almost over while the South of Dibete ploughing season for sorghum, millet and maize ended on February 14.

 He added that the ploughing season for areas of North of Dibete would end on February 27. Nonetheless, he said, ploughing for winter crops such as safflower would continue and the bank would be processing such applications. “The tractor and fencing scheme will remain available,” he added. ends