30 Jan 2014

Farmers in Ramokgwebana and Tsamaya in the North East District have been urged to heed government’s call to desist from using the broadcast sowing method.

The plea was made by the Assistant Minister of Agriculture, Mr Oreeditse Molebatsi when addressing kgotla meetings in the two villages on January 29.

Mr Molebatsi, who is also the MP for Tswapong South, implored residents to understand that in taking the decision to no longer assist those who chose to use the broadcast method, government’s intention was not to punish farmers.

He said it was rather to help them produce more so as to help the country attain self-sufficiency in food production. The assistant minister said the current ploughing and sowing season would be the last in which farmers who used the method benefit from ISPAAD.

Thus, he pleaded with them to start preparing for the next sowing season, saying those who are able to, should begin purchasing the equipment and machinery required for row planting.

Mr Molebatsi indicated that if individual farmers would heed the call for them to abandon broadcasting for row planting, the country would produce more food and thus offset the high food import bill that it has had to grapple with for years.

On a different matter, the assistant minister briefed the residents on the progress of the re-stocking exercise in Zone 6 following a decision by government to destroy infected and affected animals to prevent further spread of the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD)

He said though the exercise was complete, he was aware there were some challenges, hence his visit to ascertain the severity of the problems. One of the challenges reported, he noted, was that of the cattle dying, stating however that it was also reported that it was likely that the deaths had been due to drought and not disease contrary to some allegations.

Responding to the residents’ request that government should consider increasing the compensation for cattle, which are destoryed after crossing into neighbouring countries, as the current P400 was too little, the assistant minister said he would present the matter to relevant authorities for consideration.

In particular residents of Ramokgwebana had expressed concern that since their cattle were yet to adapt to the area, some had already begun straying into Zimbabwe, and urged government to consider up the compensation as the majority of them would be affected by the problem.

One of the residents of Ramokgwebana, Mr Hangaria Mathe complained that the cattle they had been given were too small, though some of the animals killed had been fully grown.

He also said the cattle he had been given were sick, noting that he had upon realising that, asked the ministry officials conducting the re-stocking exercise to take back. Although they came to his place two weeks back, they had not come back to do that.

Another resident, Mr John Joseph wanted to know what action would be taken in cases where some cattle outran their owners right from the distribution points before they could reach the owners’ kraals, saying a lot of farmers in the area had lost their cattle in that manner.

For her part, Ms Ellen Ntwaetsile thanked government for the re-stocking exercise, observing that though there were some challenges, life would undoubtedly begin to change for the better.

She however, pleaded with government that their cattle not to be sold through the matimela (stray animals) programme, but that rather whenever they were found, concerted efforts be made to identify their owners and hand the animals back to them.

This, she noted, would be of great benefit to the farmers, pointing out that selling them through the matimela programme would impoverish them as a lot of the cattle continued to stray due to their unfamiliarity with the area.

In Tsamaya, a resident, Mr Samson Masole said he had expected that some form of warranty would come with the cattle to address such mishaps as deaths and straying. He also expressed suspicions of the likelihood of the cattle suffering from a couple of diseases as there were some cases of unexplainable deaths.

For his part, Mr Andina Otukile decried what he said was the failure by the ministry personnel to advise the farmers as to the care necessary for their cattle to easily adapt to the new environment. He also alleged that some cattle had not been vaccinated as could have been expected prior to being handed over

Still in Tsamaya, another resident, Mr Obert Moswetsi implored fellow farmers to rise to the occasion and do all in their power to care for their cattle.

He said there were instances of some farmers keeping their cattle in their plough fields for prolonged periods despite the lack of proper pastures in the fields, simply because such people were not prepared or even willing to herd their cattle.

Mr Moswetsi also noted that he was happy with the breed of cattle they had been given, and expressed optimism that in three years’ time, farmers would thank government for having given them the type of animals they were currently complaining about.

However, he said that would be the case only if farmers would make an effort to look after their cattle and stop blaming government for anything that did not go according to their expectations. ENDS