02 Oct 2025

Maun West Member of Parliament, Mr Caterpillar Hikuama, has called on government to establish a clear balance between mining and agriculture to ensure long-term economic stability and community prosperity.

Speaking at a recent stakeholder consultative meeting in Maun, attended by acting Minister of Lands and Agriculture, Dr Edwin Dikoloti, Mr Hikuama acknowledged that both sectors were vital economic contributors.

However, he expressed concern over what he argued was bias toward mining over agriculture, which he said offered a renewable and sustainable future for Batswana. Mr Hikuama thus urged government to designate ‘no-go areas’ for mining in favour of agriculture, which was paramount for food security and employment.

“It seems our area, the North West, is rich in minerals and the question is, are we going to chase away farmers from their farms and ranches to pave way for mining activities?” he asked.

The MP was of the view that achieving a balance required sustainable land planning to reduce reliance on a single industry, noting that mining directly impacted the agricultural land and water resources crucial for farming. He cited the example of a copper mine operating adjacent to the Hainaveld ranches, which were reserved for commercial livestock farming under the Tribal Grazing Land Policy.

“If copper is found in the area, will government relocate farmers to pave way for mining which will at one point deplete?” he probed, hence called for protection of both sectors to ensure shared prosperity and sustainable resource use.

On conflict in commercial farming areas, Mr Hikuama raised concerns that government’s ambitious target to increase the national cattle herd to five million may be undermined by current practices, particularly the increasing presence of game farming at Hainaveld, an area reserved for livestock commercial farming.

He lamented that commercial farmers were currently suffering significant losses due to marauding lions preying on their cattle from neighbouring game ranches.

“Farmers are running business at a loss. To achieve the set target, government must come up with policies that harmonise and not go parallel because the aim is to increase herd production,” he added.

In addition to policy harmonisation, the legislator called for prioritisation of buffalo fence maintenance. He noted that the current and badly damaged fences allowed uncontrolled movement of both wildlife and livestock. As such, he suggested that government should partner with communities residing along the fences for maintenance through the new Ipelegeng programme to reduce expenses.

On other issues, Mr Hikuama commended government’s efforts to promote land cultivation through provision of seeds and fertilisers, which he said was a major issue facing local farmers.

Meanwhile, he regretted that despite producing affidavits from traditional leaders to prove ownership of their fields, farmers who had been terrorised by elephants were denied compensation for their damaged crops. ENDS