Chobe farmers need more gov't support-Kgosi Sinvula

NELSON DIRENG
Correspondent | Friday June 18, 2010 00:00

Yesterday (Tuesday), all the Chiefs were in support of the motion passed by their colleague, Specially Elected member of the Ntlo ya Dikgosi, Kgosi Moffat Sinvula, who requested that government establish a market for livestock as well as an artificial insemination camp in the Chobe District.

Because of the Foot and Mouth disease, meat and meat products from the region are consumed only within the district's parameters. Sinvula said farmers in the district are normally taken for granted because Chobe survives mainly on tourism.

'The government has concentrated so much on improving the tourism sector in this region that it has forgotten about developing farming,' he said. 

Kgosi Kegaisamang Ramokwena of Maun Region said the government has to react quickly to the motion in order to allow Chobe farmers to enjoy the benefits of farming just like any other farmer in the country.

He said that cattle have for a long time been part of Batswana's lives as it has always been used as a source of income. While Ramokwena agrees that Chobe is a tourism destination he argued that not everyone in the region can make a living from it.

'We have to diversify the way of living of the people in the Chobe region by encouraging farming in the area,' he said. 

Kgosi Kgomotso Boiditswe of Serowe Region said with improved cattle breeds in the Chobe district Batswana could buy bulls locally instead of relying on neighboring South Africa.

Boiditswe said there is plenty of land in Chobe to create farming facilities to enable this. 'The government cannot use the excuse that there is no land in Chobe because not all the land in the region can be used for tourism,' he said.

Boiditswe said providing a market for cattle will also benefit Chobe as it is not everyone that likes game meat. He urged government not to delay such a project with the excuse of lack of funds. 'If done on time the government will realise the long term economic benefit of the project,' he said.

Minister of Trade and Industry, Dorcas Makgato-Malesu expressed support for the Chief's motion but pointed out that the outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease had brought complications to the District's farmers who cannot sell their meat anywhere else.

Makgato-Malesu said the motion would be discussed further and a solution devised at the earliest opportunity.She said while the government would find a market for the products, it would do so within defined parameters.

'We however cannot do anything about the issue of Artificial Insemination (AI),' Makgato-Malesu said. She said that the implementation of AI in certain areas has to date not been effective. 'AI is expensive which is why the government decided to discontinue it in a lot of areas,' she said.

Makgato-Malesu said AI is mostly practiced by individual farmers in their regions which is something Chobe District farmers should consider doing.