ISPAAD has improved cereal production - de Graaf

The Minister of Agriculture (MoA), Christian de Graaf, said yesterday that his ministry spent a total of P210 935 134 and that most of the funds were used for the provision of draught power and fertiliser, tractors, logistical support and seeds. The minister was responding to a question by the Member for Francistown South, Wynter Mmolotsi. De Graaf said his ministry had set a target of 200 000 hectares to be ploughed during the 2008/2009 season, but by the end of the season, a total of 298 300 hectares were ploughed, "exceeding the target by 98 300 hectares".

With regard to returns on investment of the ISPAAD programme, the minister said MoA had not done a formal analysis. However, he said ISPAAD had led to an increase in cereal production from 15 percent to 27.5 percent of the national demand and a near three-fold growth in arable production.