Mosisedi Farmers Celebrate Harvest Day
Chippa Legodimo | Monday March 24, 2014 16:24
However, the challenges of shortage of water, electricity and poor roads could scupper our efforts of trying to help the country become self sufficient,” chairman of the association, Quite Rabai said at the event.
He said studies have shown that with the availability of infrastructure, all year farming is possible in the area from which 27 million tonnes of corn can be produced annually. He commended the government for its commitment to helping the growth of agriculture and for leasing ploughing land to the farmers. Rabai decried the fact that commercial banks are showing less interest in investing in farming.
“Banks in neighbouring countries like ABSA in South Africa have initiatives to help farmers and we would like to see the same happening in our country,” he said.
Mosisedi farmers registered their association in December 2013 with 18 members who leased 9,547 hectares for dry farming. Out of this, only 5,092 ha have been utilised. The association has members from Mosi and Sedibeng clusters, primarily financed by CEDA.
CEDA chief executive officer, Thabo Thamane has said his organisation has invested P25.1 million in the Mosisedi farms and so far, progress has been very impressive. “After touring the farms, I am confident that our investment will prove its worth. None of these farmers should fail to pay us because there is such a good harvest. I am also happy that Mosisedi farmers are not competing but complement each other. They do not just buy something because another farmer has bought the same machine,” Thamane said.
He dispelled talk that CEDA was refusing to finance farmers with small pieces of land. He said NAMPAAD approved finance for farmers with 150 ha while CEDA funds farmers with as little as 30 ha. “We have already spent 18 million on small farmers and we would consider others in the same bracket,” he said.
President Khama commended the farmers for their decision to form an association in such a short period saying it was “an example of commitment from men and women whose ultimate goal was to contribute to Botswana’s self-sustenance”. He called on other farmers in other areas to follow suit.
Khama said that despite losing its pole position in the Gross Domestic Products (GDP) scale, agriculture is still the mainstay of the country’s population. “I am not a farmer but after I took over the leadership of the country, I am happy my instincts told me that I had to try to revive agriculture and today, we witness a group of farmers who are helping make that dream come true. It is heartwarming to see people selling their produce along all major roads across this country,” Khama said.
He said that although a good number of people are responding to the call, it is worrying that some have failed to fully utilise their agricultural land.
“As I was flying here and I see this all the time, there are big patches of land that are not used optimally. If every inch of land reserved for agriculture could be used, we would be fully sustainable,” the President said.
He commended Mosi farmers, saying their area was proving to be a centre of excellence after Mosi cattle breed was composited in the area. He said shortage of labour is still a challenge and farmers need to improve working conditions to lure more locals to the farms. He said although the law provided for the employment of foreigners in farms, labour officials should not open the flood gates lest they disadvantage locals.