Recent rains exposed our vulnerability
Thursday, February 23, 2017
The rainy season follows over half a decade of low rainfall and high temperatures that resulted in deaths of hundreds of our livestock, low harvest, strange livestock diseases, decrease in wildlife population and land degradation amongst others. This is the year that will be recorded among memorable events such as Nako ya mabele a mantshonyana, and others.
However, this week’s heavy rains in the southern part of the country have exposed the weaknesses of our infrastructure in terms of roads and bridges. One example is the Nnywane Bridge that connects Lobatse and Otse, which has been in a bad state for the last 10 years. The bridge had become so dangerous that authorities had erected 60km speed limit road signs less than 100 meters before the bridge.
The Ministry of Agriculture, local producers, retailers, and industry associations must work together to overcome the obstacles hindering vegetable production and distribution.This collaborative approach is essential to improve the availability, quality, and affordability of vegetables in the market.Firstly, the Ministry of Agriculture should provide support and guidance to local farmers to enhance their productivity and efficiency. This could...