04 Mar 2014

Members of Parliament on March 3 approved the 2014/15 budget estimates of over P968 million and P720 million for the Ministry of Agriculture for recurrent and development budget respectively.

When contributing to the debate, Member of Parliament for Ngwaketse West, Mr Mephato Reatile said the government should provide amenities such as electricity to farms if it was serious about developing the sector.

MP Reatile further stated that some people who sold their livestock under LIMID were still to be paid including tractor owners under ISPAAD.

He said he did not understand why the ministry was to spend huge amount of money on consultants saying a number of studies had been taken especially with regard to Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) yet none of the recommendations were implemented.

Ngwaketse West legislator said since the ministry was facing financial constraints; it should look into assisting destitute Batswana with boreholes.

For his part, MP for Chobe, Mr Gibson Nshimwe said it had been six years since the outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease in his area and therefore farmers should be assisted with market accessibility as their area remains a red zone and therefore cannot sell to BMC.

He further said Satau Livestock Advisory Centre (LAC) remained a white elephant, adding that the centre should be stocked and provided with a veterinarian to assist farmers who travel long distances to Kasane to access services.

The Chobe MP welcomed the Zambezi Integrated Agrobusiness and also provision of infrastructure in Pandamatenga. He however said water is now being diverted towards Zimbabwe while it could be used in Botswana by other farmers such as the youths.

MP for Kweneng East, Maj. Gen. Moeng Pheto said he expected the Minister of Agriculture, Mr Christiaan De Graaff during his presentation of budget estimates to brief the house on the recommendations of the parliamentary select committee investigation on BMC.

MP Pheto said chain stores were competing with horticultural farmers hence they are stuck with products that do not have markets.

The Specially Elected MP, Ms Dorcas Makgato-Malesu said agriculture was important as through it, Botswana could attain food security and economic diversification.

She called on collaboration between different ministries and the agriculture minister to address cross cutting issues such as minimum wage and provision of infrastructure especially in Thuli Block which, she said produced 75 per cent of national consumption.

MP for Kanye South, Mr Abram Kesupile said a service centre should have been provided in Kanye.

He said the ministry should encourage research especially on indigenous knowledge saying some Batswana have been able to train dogs to look after their small stock with positive results as they are able to protect the domesticated animals from predators such as jackals.

MP Kesupile said this knowledge should be encouraged and developed further together with the breed used.

For his part, MP for Tati West, Mr Charles Tibone called on government to retract its tractors saying the private ones should instead be used and people be assisted to acquire them as they have proved to be more helpful than government ones.

He further said Ditladi area, the area between Shashe and Dikgatlhong Dams should be used for horticultural purpose as now it has a stable supply of water.

MP Tibone said 50 per cent requirement for fencing was expensive for low income earners and therefore they should be provided with some form of assistance. MP for Moshupa, Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi concurred with MP Tibone that government tractors should be withdrawn.

Responding to the comments, Minister De Graaff said his ministry was addressing issues of late payments and he promised that all tractor owners would be paid.

He said the ministry had exhausted all the funds allocated during 2013/14 financial year but with the assistance of the finance and development planning minister, P40 million has been made available to pay the tractor owners.

Minister De Graaff said the government would not be able to provide a further fencing subsidy to low income earners due to financial constraints. ENDS