Challenges stall Thuo Letlotlo progress in Serowe
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Tuesday June 17, 2025 11:02
According to a District Development Committee (DDC) report presented at the recent full council meeting, only a few individuals benefited from the initiative prior to its halt.
The report revealed that a total of 323 applications were received in the district, 164 from males, 157 from females and two from companies.
“However, 21 of these applications were later withdrawn by the applicants, resulting in 302 active submissions. Of these, 183 had been assessed online, 15 were assessed physically and were awaiting adjudication, whilst 119 were still pending assessment at the time of reporting.
“Since the suspension of the programme, officers have faced difficulties accessing the system,” it states.
The report notes that this issue has been escalated to the relevant authorities for resolution.
Moreover, several implementation challenges were identified, according to the report and these included a shortage of small stock, with limited availability in the district delaying the roll-out of projects.
However, transportation constraints also affected the effective monitoring and support of ongoing initiatives.
Despite these setbacks, the programme offered a diverse range of agricultural packages, including livestock, small stock, aquaculture, apiculture, and game farming. Micro-scale farmers were eligible for grants of up to P60,000 with no required contribution, whilst small-scale farmers with higher income levels could access funding of up to P200,000, subject to a 50% cost contribution.
While some beneficiaries, according to the report, demonstrated a lack of commitment to their respective projects, which impacted overall success rates.
“The mitigation strategies are to address the aforementioned challenges, the department proposed the following measures: Procurement from other districts: To alleviate the shortage of small stock, procurement would be extended to other districts,” it continued.
“Transportation Support: Requesting for additional transport resources from other departments and the Government Fleet Management pool.”
Meanwhile on Horticulture Project Performance during the fourth quarter, the district's horticultural endeavours yielded a commendable 72.1 tonnes of vegetables.
“This production was the result of the collective efforts of 61 operational vegetable projects, employing 154 individuals. The cumulative vegetable production reached 1,068.45 tons, generating a quarterly turnover of P484,200 and a cumulative turnover of P5,278,255,” the report reveals.
Whilst it points out that for fruit production, six out of seven projects were operational, with eight individuals employed.
According DDC report, whilst there was no recorded fruit production during this quarter, the cumulative output stood at 38 tons, contributing to a total turnover of P19,000.
Notably, it says the district witnessed the active participation of youth in horticulture.
Three young farmers (two males and one female) from Serowe West, East, and Paje, cultivated 0.5 hectares of various vegetables, producing 1.2 tons.
“Their involvement underscores the growing interest of the younger generation in agriculture,” it states.
Despite these achievements, the report indicates that the horticulture sector faced several challenges that include limited transport resources hindered effective extension outreach and support to farmers.
The horticultural crops were adversely affected by pests and diseases, impacting overall yield and quality, some farmers exhibited poor crop management practices and lacked proper record-keeping, affecting productivity and traceability.
However, it indicated that crop losses were incurred due to ineffective marketing strategies, leading to unsold produce and reduced income for farmers.