Botswana farmers encouraged to commercialise

Botswana farmers encouraged to commercialise

The former Botswana Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Moses Lekaukau has encouraged farmers in Kgalagadi to apply for funds under the Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA) and venture into commercial farming. Lekaukau made this appeal when he was opening the Northern Kgalagadi District Agricultural show in Tshane.

Lekaukau said the theme of the show, "Venturing into Development Programmes to Alleviate Poverty," is both appropriate and relevant as it is only through meaningful participation in agriculture that efforts to alleviate poverty can be realised.

He said the Ministry of Agriculture recently introduced two revised support schemes to assist farmers improve their agricultural management practices. The schemes are meant to assist farmers graduate from subsistence to commercial farming out of which they can derive a livelihood.

Lekaukau said district shows afford farmers an opportunity to share and exchange their experiences. They are also a platform for the youth and emerging farmers to interact and learn practical skills through which they can make meaningful decisions about their future.

Since independence, Government has put into place a number of strategies geared towards agricultural development. These include the Tribal Grazing Land Policy (TGLP), the Arable Land Development Programme (ALDEP), the Financial Assistance Policy (FAP) and the National Agricultural Master Plan for Arable Agriculture and Dairy Development (NAMPAAD).
But Lekaukau said despite these schemes, the performance of the sector has been below expectations. He said at independence, the sector contributed 40 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP); this has declined to below three percent.

He pointed out that other reasons for poor performance have been cited as persistent drought, low adoption of improved technologies, poor management practices and high input costs.
"Whilst it remains a fact that the contribution of agriculture to the GDP has been on (a) declining curve for some time, it is also a fact that agriculture remains an important backbone of the economy by providing food, income, informal employment and capital formation for the majority of people in the rural areas.

"It is, therefore, in the long-term interest of the country to promote productive investment in the sector to improve the standards of the rural people," Lekaukau said.

The former Botswana Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Moses Lekaukau has encouraged farmers in Kgalagadi to apply for funds under the Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA) and venture into commercial farming. Lekaukau made this appeal when he was opening the Northern Kgalagadi District Agricultural show in Tshane.

Lekaukau said the theme of the show, "Venturing into Development Programmes to Alleviate Poverty," is both appropriate and relevant as it is only through meaningful participation in agriculture that efforts to alleviate poverty can be realised.

He said the Ministry of Agriculture recently introduced two revised support schemes to assist farmers improve their agricultural management practices. The schemes are meant to assist farmers graduate from subsistence to commercial farming out of which they can derive a livelihood.

Lekaukau said district shows afford farmers an opportunity to share and exchange their experiences. They are also a platform for the youth and emerging farmers to interact and learn practical skills through which they can make meaningful decisions about their future.
Since independence, Government has put into place a number of strategies geared towards agricultural development. These include the Tribal Grazing Land Policy (TGLP), the Arable Land Development Programme (ALDEP), the Financial Assistance Policy (FAP) and the National Agricultural Master Plan for Arable Agriculture and Dairy Development (NAMPAAD).

But Lekaukau said despite these schemes, the performance of the sector has been below expectations. He said at independence, the sector contributed 40 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP); this has declined to below three percent.

He pointed out that other reasons for poor performance have been cited as persistent drought, low adoption of improved technologies, poor management practices and high input costs.

"Whilst it remains a fact that the contribution of agriculture to the GDP has been on (a) declining curve for some time, it is also a fact that agriculture remains an important backbone of the economy by providing food, income, informal employment and capital formation for the majority of people in the rural areas.

"It is, therefore, in the long-term interest of the country to promote productive investment in the sector to improve the standards of the rural people," Lekaukau said.