Drought measures to cost P445m

Relief beckons: Parliamentary yesterday considered P 445 million in emergency funding following President Ian Khama's declaration of drought late June. PIC: KAGISO ONKATSWITSE
Relief beckons: Parliamentary yesterday considered P 445 million in emergency funding following President Ian Khama's declaration of drought late June. PIC: KAGISO ONKATSWITSE

Parliament’s Finance and Estimates Committee has approved a series of ministerial requests for the release of P445.1 million in supplementary funding in line with the declaration of a drought for the 2014/15 season.

According to the supplementary request, ministerial accounting officers appeared before the Committee on July 22 and were able to secure funding for major drought interventions. President Ian Khama declared a drought late in June, announcing an array of interventions including support for the Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme, a 25 percent subsidy to farmers on certain livestock feed purchased through the Livestock Advisory Centres as well as nutritional support for vulnerable groups.

According to the estimates laid before legislators yesterday afternoon, the committee approved an amount of P103.1 million to cover the 85 percent subsidy to farmers who obtained seasonal loans from CEDA and the National Development Bank under the Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme.

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