Africa-Press – Botswana. Although the 39.83-hectare Radihemelo grey water scheme project is a multimillion-Pula initiative, it is presently non-operational due to construction difficulties and the Water Utilities Corporation’s (WUC’s) inability to supply grey water inflow, the acting Minister of Lands and Agriculture, Dr Edwin Dikoloti has said.
Answering a question in Parliament, Dr Dikoloti explained that the total expense for the horticultural irrigation project amounted to P19,535,698.33. He also said the project was built in two stages, with the first phase completed in 2016 for P16,643,258, encompassing the creation of water holding pods, an irrigation system, an ablution facility, an internal gravel road network, and a surrounding fence.
Dr Dikoloti stated that the second phase was created in 2019 in partnership with the former Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Culture, which allocated P2,892,439.78 for building tunnels for eight youth beneficiaries, each receiving a one-hectare plot. He said the second phase did not meet the ministry’s expectations, as the contractor’s workmanship was sub-par.
Dr Dikoloti said each of the eight young beneficiaries received a 0.5-hectare open field drip irrigation system set up in their plots to enhance horticultural production. Additionally, the acting minister said two anchor farmers were assigned five hectares each within the programme.
He noted that at present, the project was non-operational because of insufficient irrigation wastewater inflow from the WUC’s treatment facilities, who linked this issue to leaks in the sewer pipe network in Serowe. Dr Dikoloti also mentioned that the ministry, along with the Ministry of Youth and Gender Affairs and the Local Enterprise Authority, planned to advance the project by drilling boreholes in the area to enhance the treated wastewater.
He said this would also blend the treated wastewater for improved quality. The acting minister also said the Mogatsapoo Agricultural Service Centre had not been built because of budget limitations, however, he stated that if funding allowed, it would be prioritised as soon as possible.
Member of Parliament for Serowe South, Mr Leepetswe Lesedi had inquired about the status of the agricultural service centre promised for Mogatsapoo and the cost of the Radihemelo grey water project, questioning its inactivity and the ministry’s plans to revive the project for a return on investment.
For More News And Analysis About Botswana Follow Africa-Press
