Central District Declared As The Mostly Affected Area By Tomato Leaf Miner
Bonte Seepi | Monday January 23, 2017 17:23
Due to the outbreak in December, the Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food Security banned the importation of some vegetables such as tomatoes, potatoes, peppers and beetroot and the situation has triggered price increases and shortage of the commodities.
In his presentation, Agricultural Marketing Officer, Pedilisani Lelata said the pest has hurt the country at its heart because the Central District is the largest in Botswana. “Central is the main base of Tuta absoluta in Botswana that is why we have to address the issue seriously. Let us address it together, and find a solution to it because it affects different stakeholders,” said Lelata.
He further emphasised that the outbreak of the pest does not only affect farmers and traders, but rather all the people because in the long run it shall also affect the economy of the country.
Lelata also said that the pest is mostly transmitted by traders who import crops from outside. He said that though they cannot point fingers at them (traders), they have high impact in the issue.
“The pest has long existed in America. It only came here last year November and it has already spread to the whole country. Meanwhile, statistics show that, tuta absoluta is mainly spread by businesspeople who import tomatoes and other vegetables from other countries, hence its spread. We do not mean that traders are wrong, but we are saying they have an input in the issue,” he said.
He also mentioned that smugglers who do not want to declare their goods at the border posts also pose danger. Sabata Oboletse from the Department of Crop Production in Machaneng urged farmers to use various farming practices like removal and destruction of the affected plants.
“We are not against the use of chemicals but to avoid resistance, farmers must change pesticides. They can also opt for management practices like removing the crops once they turn reddish and bury them. We also encourage cultivation of the soil and rotation of plants introducing the non-host ones to starve the pest,” said Oboletse.
It is said that tuta absoluta is very destructive as it has 12 life cycles in a year; it produces 260 eggs which takes four to six days to hatch
Farmers’ however, expressed disappointment towards the Agricultural officers, saying that the inspectors at the border posts are very few hence there are some people who can cross without being checked.
One farmer, Charles Shashane complained that there is normally only one officer on duty at the border post.
“These people also get exhausted and end up being lazy to inspect all the motor vehicles crossing. I am one of the people who have crossed the border uninspected twice, not because I didn’t want to be chacked, but because the officer was tired to check. Maybe a lot has to be done there.”
Another farmer who is also Deputy Customary Court President, Michael Maforaga also decried circulation of information saying that it is not all farmers who can read. He was of the view that Kgotla meetings must be called to inform Batswana about the outbreak of the pest rather than spreading it on televisions and newspapers only.
“Botswana is a non-reading country. Even those who can read, don’t like informative stories, but rather, funny stories that don’t carry any message. There is a lot that needs to be done to inform the people about the pest. Pastors can also be used to spread the message at churches and Dikgosi at Kgotla meetings,” said Maforaga
He also pleaded for the picture of tuta absoluta saying it can be helpful to many if they know what is being talked about.
Meanwhile, they were told that due to the dangers imposed by the pest, the Government has decided to train more to help inspect at the border posts to ensure that the situation normalises.