11 Aug 2024

Plans are afoot to accommodate Farm 53 Fairy Glen, commonly known as Tautona Lodge, to be part of Ghanzi township planning area.

Answering a question in Parliament recently, His Honour the Vice President, Slumber Tsogwane, incorporation of Tautona Lodge into the Ghanzi township would be done as required by the Town and Country Planning Act.

Vice President Tsogwane explained that the envisaged Ghanzi Township plan was expected to explore opportunities on how the farm could be utilised for the township’s sustainable growth versus competing land use needs, especially that Ghanzi residents had long raised the need to expand the town to stimulate its economy.

“Therefore priority is to develop the area plan before advocacy for transforming the lodge to an educational or research area,” he said.

He however, said, some stakeholders in the area had already voiced their desire on how the farm could be used during consultation prior to its acquisition.

The Vice President said government was in the process of procuring services for preparing a new development plan for Ghanzi Township funded under the second Transitional National Development Plan (TNDP).

“I am however, not in a position to state what the development plan will propose for future development of the land in question,” he said.

Additionally, he said  government had over the years been carrying out land acquisitions around the country for various purposes, including Tati Farms in the North East last year, which totals 45 000 hectares.

“Our commitment as government is to continue to acquire land around the country with a view to reserve it for future development,” he said.

He further said land boards had acquired a total of about 1 849 hectares of land last year with a view to allocate it for different purposes in areas of their jurisdiction.

“Therefore, he said  that the acquisition of Farm 53 Fair Glen was done under the same principle, especially considering shortage of land around Ghanzi township as well as the need to reserve land and do proper spatial planning to meet the future growth of the township,” he said.

He said Farm 53 Glen Fairy, which measured 4 458 hectares, had only two hectares developed with a lodge known as Tautona Lodge.

The lodge, he said, offered services such as hotel, catering and conference services with the rest of the land outside of the hotel accommodating around 17 wildlife species around 550.

Mr Tsogwane however, said currently, there were no plans to decentralise any of the services of NARDI and BUAN to Ghanzi for utilisation of the farm due to the mentioned plans to make a future-oriented development plan for the area.

“Bringing BUAN and NARDI before the plan is made would be inappropriate, and such decentralisation in its own cannot bring food production to Ghanzi area,” he said.

He highlighted that food production economic activities needed individuals and the private sector to take advantage of government schemes.

Ghanzi North MP, Mr John Thiite had asked His Honour the Vice President to state, among others, the size of the farm, activities taking place at Tautona Lodge since its purchase and how its acquisition would benefit the people of Ghanzi and the Western region taking into account absence of tertiary institutions.

Mr Thiite also wanted to know whether NARDI and BUAN had not considered playing a leading role in unlocking Botswana’s potential as a food hub by decentralising and transferring some of their departments to Tautona Lodge farm.

He further wanted to know whether a portion of the farm would be apportioned for expansion of the township to accelerate access to land for residential and commercial plots to create an enabling environment for commerce and industry, as well as stimulate the local economy.

He also wanted to know when the people of Ghanzi should expect the lodge to be fully transformed into an educational institution or research centre. ENDS