Ralotsia tours wilting fields in Jwaneng
Staff Writer | Friday January 19, 2018 16:05
“Bagaetsho a re rapeleng,” he wrote yesterday on his official Facebook page.
“Seemo sa bosa ga se se iketlileng, se a tlhobaetsa lefatshe lotlhe. Ke seemo se se batlang re se neela Modimo Molaodi wa tsotlhe.”
Ralotsia wrote that he had been disappointed during a tour of fields near Jwaneng, where he witnessed wilting crops as a result of heat stress. He further noted that the situation was likely widespread across the country and asked Batswana to respond to him with pictures of the fields in their areas.
The minister’s post attracted diverse responses, with Pilot Ntekola from Semitwe village in the Central District reporting that rain had not been witnessed in the area since November.
“I have not started ploughing. Still waiting,” he wrote. Flora Mmapatsi from Nshakazhogwe pleaded with Ralotsia to extend the official ploughing season, noting that many communal farmers were yet to plant due to the lack of rain.
“Tswee-tswee oketsa Sebaka ka dibeke tse pedi ha pula e ka na mong wame,” she wrote.
The prolonged dry spell and heatwaves caught farmers by surprise after meteorological officers forecast good rains this season for most parts of the country. The Meteorological Services Department says rains will be experienced later in the season.