Businessman urges utilisation of farming belts

Onalenna Kelebeile | Friday July 18, 2014 11:11

Speaking during the Mmadinare District Show, Tiro noted that the area between Letsibogo and Dikgatlhong dams already presents a good opportunity for a farming belt.

He said the area is advantageous because the two dams have an overflow of water that could provide irrigation in the farming belt.

“We can concentrate farming in that area. Time has come for farmers to seriously consider having to relocate from their original farming areas to pave way for such great developments,” he added.

Tiro also applauded farmers in the Mmadinare District for having utilised the Integrated Support Programme for Arable Agricultural Development (ISPAAD) to improve their yield for the current farming season. He noted that for the 2013/2014 farming season 80 farmers in the area received 891 bags of fertilisers from the Ministry of Agriculture.

He, however, raised concern that of the 9,191 hectares in the district only 2,688 were row planted.

Meanwhile, Seloma said they have heeded the Mmadinare show committee’s cry over the lease rental debt with Mmadinare Sub Land Board. He assured that he and fellow natives of Mmadinare will support the committee and be part of its activities.

The show committee has been grappling with close to P50,000 lease rental debt that threatens the showground with repossession.

“We cannot just listen to their cries and fail to support them. I challenge the show committee chairman to convene a meeting with all of us who are staying across the corners of this country for a thorough evaluation of the show for us to see how much we can assist to clear the debt.

“We can commit ourselves to ensure that the next show exceeds this one far beyond,” he said.

Tiro who owns the Watershed Piazza Mall in Mahalapye said agriculture should constitute a large share of the economy as it is embarrassing for any country to be fed by other countries instead of being self-sustainable in food production through its own people.

He said this would ensure food security that can cushion the country in the event of low yields due to unfavourable weather patterns.

Meanwhile the show committee chairman Joseph Seipato decried vandalism of the showground facilities and stealing of materials that the committee bought to prepare for the show.

He added that this time it went to the extent that thieves stole chickens that were brought for exhibition.

“The situation is really disturbing and would lead to investors turning us down,” he said.

He said they organise the shows without any funds, but rely on sponsors, who in this instance include MVA and some government departments.

Seipato complained of lack of support from parastatals like Botswana Power Corporation and Water Utilities Corporation who never honour their invitations.

He appealed for ideas that could develop the showground and ensure continuous activities in the facility that could minimise vandalism.