09 Feb 2014

Parliament has been informed that the allocation of land at Dikabeya Irrigation Scheme is done by the Ministry of Lands and Housing, with technical input from the Ministry of Agriculture.

Answering a question in Parliament on February 5, the Minister of Youth Sport and Culture, Mr Shaw Kgathi said the Ministry of Agriculture assesses project proposals from farmers and make recommendations for allocation to the Ministry of Lands and Housing.

Minister Kgathi said through the Youth Empowerment Scheme his ministry has adopted a multi-sectoral approach to youth development where all critical players   are engaged to develop and implement pro-youth economic empowerment interventions.

He said principal youth officers have been deployed to line ministries to facilitate sectoral responses to challenges that young people encounter, including the ministries of Agriculture, Lands and Housing.

“Through these officers, my ministry can liaise with ministries of Agriculture and Lands and Housing, if there are young people interested in starting horticultural projects at Dikabeya. An advertisement has been issued by the Ministry of Agriculture inviting interested persons to apply for six horticultural plots there,” he said.

Member of Parliament for Palapye,  Mr Moiseraele Goya had asked the minister whether in view of the difficulty encountered by youth in acquiring land for agricultural projects financed under the Youth Development Fund he would not  consider liaising with the ministry responsible for land allocation at the Dikabeya Master Plan for Arable Agriculture and Dairy Development (NAMPAAD) Project to allocate some of the unused land to the youth. ENDS