Despair in Mmadinare as ploughing season ends
Friday, February 13, 2015
Square one: Some farmers have resorted to donkey- drawn ploughs for tillage
As the ploughing seasons ends this week, despair has set in in Mmadinare, as most farmers are yet to plant, despite tilling the soil last October.
Yields are expected to be lower than the previous year and farmers blame the tractor owners engaged by government to till their fields, under the Integrated Support Programme for Arable Agricultural Development (ISPAAD).
That should concern every Motswana. The implications extend far beyond cattle and farmers. Botswana’s beef industry is a critical pillar of the economy, supporting thousands of households and sustaining businesses along the value chain.The loss of access to lucrative export markets has already demonstrated how quickly an animal-health crisis can become an economic crisis.This is, therefore, not the time for complacency, blame, or political...