Rains drown crops, kill livestock in Kgatleng

Tefo Pheage | Wednesday January 11, 2017 15:33

The Kgatleng District Council chairperson, Mpho Morolong said it is true that some ploughing fields and farms have been affected. “Water was all over, especially along the Bokaa Dam and the Notwane River which were receiving large volumes of water from other rivers. Our teams are still on the ground assessing the situation,” he said.

A businessman from Bokaa village, Ishmael Mosinyi whose ploughing field is situated along the Bokaa Dam, which has been overflowing for the past two days, says half of his field has been swept away by the flowing water from the Bokaa Dam to the Notwane River. “I now have to forget about ploughing. The good rains we all have been longing for have left some of us holding our mouths. Like many, I was expecting a good harvest this year but things have taken a dramatic turn,” he said.

When asked about other nearby farmers, Mosinyi said there are a couple of farmers along the vulnerable area who have been affected, one way or the other. “I haven’t toured the area yet but I know that there are people who usually get affected when I am affected,” he responded. Some farmers are said to have been left holding their mouths as well after the water swept away their goats while others escaped by a whisker by responding swiftly to the disaster.

The Vice President and MP for Moshupa-Manyana, Mokgweetsi Masisi, whose constituency counts among the most affected by recent rains, rushed to Mochudi on Monday to assess the situation. Some of these challenges come after calls for agro-advisory services, which experts say will help farmers to make informed decisions in the face of risks and uncertainties, in addition to the integrated management of present and emerging pests and disease challenges.

Experts say farmers should be prepared for climate applications, which include seasonal weather forecasts, monitoring and early warning products for drought, floods, pests and disease surveillance with risks and uncertainties, among many others.

In this regard, dissemination of agro-weather advisories and other climate-smart agricultural practices will be enhanced through Public Private Partnerships. Robust agro-advisory services, it is estimated, will catalyse private sector investment in priority areas such as weather-based index insurance and associated infrastructure.

Agriculture accounts for a greater part of Batswana’s economic standing and most engage on it for sustena  nce. It also contributes to the national food basket. Nationally, agriculture accounts for about three percent of Botswana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) with diamonds and tourism being the main contributors to economy. In 2014 it was estimated that Botswana imported US$632 million worth of food and agricultural products.