Land allocation, Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and the Lemang Dijo programme were the primary concerns raised by Members of Parliament during the debate on budget proposals for the Ministry of Lands and Agriculture for the 2026/27 financial year. 

Contributing to the debate on Monday, MP for Mmopane-Metsimotlhabe, Ms Helen Manyeneng stated that lack of services had forced many Batswana to dispose of their undeveloped plots for fear of government repossession. 

Ms Manyeneng requested that the youth be prioritised in land allocation, particularly for agricultural fields, to enable them to venture into agribusiness. 

She also decried the high number of squatters in Mmopane, some of whom had reportedly connected water and electricity to their homes using fraudulent certificates. She argued that Land Boards should be dissolved, arguing that they had failed the nation in their mandate to allocate land. 

However, she welcomed the establishment of the Green Climate Fund. Specially Elected MP and Minister of Minerals and Energy, Ms Bogolo Kenewendo, urged the ministry to facilitate land for renewable energy projects. 

Ms Kenewendo noted that solar parks could empower communities and provide electricity to areas currently off the national grid. 

Regarding tourism, she highlighted the potential of the Boteti area, noting that with proper land servicing and development, it could rival the Chobe region due to its rivers and wildlife. She further lauded the Green Climate Fund for its role in enhancing the country’s climate resilience and adaptive capabilities. 

Dr Kesitegile Gobotswang, MP for Tswapong South, emphasised that agriculture had immense potential for economic diversification and job creation.

 However, he questioned government’s commitment to the sector, noting that a substantive minister had yet to be appointed. 

Dr Gobotswang indicated that farmers nationwide were struggling with Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD). He argued that vaccines were prohibitively expensive and called for government subsidies. Regarding FMD, he advocated for a bipartisan approach, calling the situation a national crisis. 

He further noted that the P700 compensation fee was inadequate and required urgent review. On the technical side of farming, he argued that while artificial insemination improved cattle breeds, it however did not necessarily increase the national herd. 

He called for the preservation of the indigenous Tswana breed due to its superior calving rates. Additionally, he highlighted the deplorable conditions faced by veterinary officers in Machaneng, citing lack of offices and transport. 

He further argued that the Lemang Dijo had failed due to a late introduction and the reduction of subsidised ploughing size to just one hectare. 

MP Gaefele Sedombo of Tonota noted that while the initiative was good, heavy rains and elephant crop destruction prevented farmers from fully utilising it. 

MP Reason Lekutlane of Kgalagadi North complained that staff transfers from the Department of Crops in Kang had forced farmers to travel long distances just to collect seeds. MP Phenyo Segokgo of Tlokweng called for a strict Return on Investment (ROI) for every Pula spent on development. 

He urged government to ensure that research findings did not gather dust but were used to modernise the sector. He also suggested that the Botswana Vaccine Institute (BVI) be expanded to compete globally. Regarding housing, MP Segokgo proposed that youth received priority for Bonno houses and that the cost of the land be deducted from the total price, stating their right to free plots. 

MP Karabo Gare of Moshupa-Manyana said the budget allocated was not enough to enable the country to be self-sustainable. He called on government to develop and maintain roads accessing production areas. 

Responding to the debate, acting Minister of Lands and Agriculture, Dr Edwin Dikoloti, assured MP Manyeneng that government was addressing the squatter issue in Mmopane, noting that certificates must be verified before services were provided.

 Addressing the vaccine shortage, Dr Dikoloti encouraged farmers to form clusters to purchase Lumpy Skin Disease vaccines collectively, promising that the ministry would assist to navigate the current shortage in the international market. 

He reiterated that Lemang Dijo remained a production-based programme designed to ensure food security. ENDS