ISPAAD has improved cereal production - de Graaf

ISAIAH MOREWAGAE
Staff Writer | Wednesday December 9, 2009 00:00

The Minister of Agriculture (MoA), Christian de Graaf, said yesterday that his ministry spent a total of P210 935 134 and that most of the funds were used for the provision of draught power and fertiliser, tractors, logistical support and seeds. The minister was responding to a question by the Member for Francistown South, Wynter Mmolotsi. De Graaf said his ministry had set a target of 200 000 hectares to be ploughed during the 2008/2009 season, but by the end of the season, a total of 298 300 hectares were ploughed, 'exceeding the target by 98 300 hectares'.

With regard to returns on investment of the ISPAAD programme, the minister said MoA had not done a formal analysis. However, he said ISPAAD had led to an increase in cereal production from 15 percent to 27.5 percent of the national demand and a near three-fold growth in arable production.

'ISPAAD also provided a huge social benefit, which cannot be measured using (a) business model such as return on investment,' he said.

Overall, the programme had improved both household and national food security, though it was 'regrettable' that MoA had not undertaken a thorough evaluation of the programme after the last season.

'We have plans to undertake a comprehensive evaluation of the programme after the second year of its implementation,' he added. Meanwhile, the Minister of Local Government, Lebonaamang Mokalake, told Parliament that the Shakawe Water Treatment Plant will no longer be rehabilitated despite water shortages in villages supplied from the plant.

Mokalake told the House that he was aware that out of 26 villages in the Okavango, only six - Shakawe, Mohembo West, Samochima, Xaoga, Nxamasere and Shaikarawe - experienced water shortages during the peak hours. 'This is due to the fact that the Shakawe Treatment Plant passed its 10-year design period in 2008 and can no longer meet the demand for the six villages.'

He pointed out that the plant was planned to be rehabilitated in 2009, but could no longer be done because of budgetary constraints.

The minister was responding to a question by Member of Parliament for the Okavango, Bagalatia Arone, who had wanted to know if the minister was aware of the serious shortage of drinking water in some villages in the Okavango despite the abundance of perennial water in the delta.