Treat farming as a business - Rapitsenyane

Giving a keynote address at the NED trade show over the weekend, Rapitsenyane said farming is a big business which requires committed individuals who do not engage in it as a last resort after failing at other career pursuits. He encouraged farmers to double up their efforts and increase production so that the local population can source food locally at cheaper prices, and reduce dependence on food imports.

Rapitsenyane also commended farmers for soldiering on despite setbacks like livestock and crop diseases. He said trade shows give farmers a good opportunity to share ideas and learn from each other, and encouraged them to make the best use of such rare occasions to grow in business. Rapitsenyane encouraged farmers to change their farming techniques and work more closely with the Ministry of Agriculture for guidance on heat tolerant breeds to use so as to better their outputs.