Africa-Press – Botswana. Government has handed over electrification and reticulation of six boreholes for irrigation project to the Dikgame Tse Ntle cluster farm in Leshibitse with an estimated cost of over P2.5 million.
The project has been electrified through the Economic Recovery and Transformation Plan (ETRP) to respond to impact of COVID-19 on the agricultural sector, Minister of Agriculture, Mr Fidelis Molao said during the handing over ceremony on Friday.
He said through the electrification of the cluster, more value chain activities would be promoted and more revenue for the cluster created.
“The value chain that you can develop here will improve more pathways for both upcoming youth and investors,” he said.
Mr Molao encouraged members of the cluster to fully utilise the farm and take advantage of the power supply. He further implored the members of the Dikgame Tse Ntle to produce more food and reduce the country’s food import bill.
He said Ministry of Agriculture had replaced Integrated Support Programme for Arable Agriculture Development (ISPAAD) with the new Temo Letlotlo programme to encourage commercial farming.
He, therefore, encouraged them to produce more through the programme.
The Kgatleng District Agricultural Coordinator, Mr Andrew Moipopi encouraged farmers to work as a collective to fully utilise the close to 360 hectares of land.
He said the Dikgame Tse Ntle cluster was an oasis of wealth that should be fully utilised to feed the nation and for import purposes.
He advised them to engage investors where possible if farmers were unable to utilise the land fully.
“This should be a model cluster that promotes household food security and commercial production to reduce the food import bill,” he said.
Botswana Power Corporation customer service manager, Mr Kgotla Rapitsinyane said the project was fully operational and had been commissioned.
He said the project consisted of 9 214 high voltage lines and 2 072 metres of low voltage lines for transmission as well as 10 transformers.
He said farmers could now utilise electricity that had been made affordable for every cluster members.
Leshibitse Kgosi, Tosh Kgotlele encouraged the spirit of oneness, urging farmers to take the newly launched mindset change initiative as a game changer for them to succeed.
He expressed disappointment that farmers were not producing excess food in a farm that had a potential to produce a lot if right farming practices were applied.
“I want to challenge you to drive this change mandate by starting right here on this cluster,” he said.
Dikgame Tse Ntle Cluster chairperson, Mr Jacob Tlometsane decried lack of commitment by members, saying that had resulted in low produce.
He said although the farm had a lot of potential, it had turned out to be unproductive.
He encouraged members to commit to produce ample food, adding that government had spent a lot in de-bushing, fencing and electrifying the cluster farm.
He said the farm that started operating in 2012 had 44 members, but regrettably only 10 were active.
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