Agric the answer to ailing economy � Dikgosi
Pini Bothoko | Friday February 3, 2017 16:03
Dikgosi said this when debating Kgosi Thabo Masunga’s motion in which he was calling on the house to request Government to consider inclusion of water and irrigation to augment the cluster fencing initiative.
Dikgosi said in the past agriculture was the largest livelihood generating activity in the country, but over the years Batswana decided to abandon farming. Commenting Kgosi Kgomotso Boiditswe of Serowe region said farming is important and can sustain the country’s economy, especially that the mining sector is no longer capable.
Boiditswe said farmers could sell crops and raise money to buy other foods, clothes and property.
He said the motion was good because with cluster fencing, farmers will be certain that their crops will be safe.
Boiditswe stated that Government could consider using sewage water for irrigation in places where there are no boreholes.
“I strongly support this motion because it can improve the country’s food security, especially that we are currently faced with hunger as the country.
“Grouped as commercial farmers, it will enable them to share new farming ideas as well as coming up with solutions on how best they can turnaround the country’s food security situation,” Boiditswe said. He said that currently cluster fencing relies on rainfall and when there is none, farmers fail to produce. “With inclusion of water and irrigation, farmers will be able to rotate crops throughout the year hence boosting the country’s food security,” Boiditswe said.
Kgosi Thebe Makwa of Moshupa region also supported the motion stating that agriculture can contribute immensely to the country’s economy.
Makwa said Botswana currently imports most of its foods from other countries, which is expensive for both country and the consumers. “If we can be able to plough enough food here we will be able to block the import of some foods from other countries,” Makwa said. Kgosi Rapelang Khuwe of Tutume region also shared other Dikgosi’s sentiments saying when it rains, water goes to waste hence the need to collect it for irrigation.
He suggested that Government should consider sinking boreholes for irrigation so that farmers could stop depending on unreliable rainfall.
The assistant Minister of Agricultural Development and Food Security, Kgotla Autlwetse’s response was that Government was currently working on the idea of recycling water for irrigation after it proved successful at Glen Valley in Gaborone. Autlwetse said that they are currently constructing a plant in Serowe that will be used to purify water. “There is a 40 hectare plot in the outskirts of Serowe. We are going to divide and allocate it to interested commercial farmers so that they can plough and produce food that can sustain the economy and boost the country’s food security,” Autwetse said.
He said that some parts of the country have adequate water but Government has limited funds to supply this water to places with less water. Masunga had stated that the package can be used to harness further optimum usage of the 30 cluster fencing projects across the country, taking into consideration the use of sewage water.