Africa-Press – Botswana. Ramotswa District Council has made a commitment to assist Gamalete farmers realise their full potential as agriculture stands out as the most reliable alternative in tough economic times.
Ramotswa District Council Chairperson Mr Matlhomola Motsage made this assurance during the third instalment of the Gamalete Farmers Day at Lephaleng lands near Ramotswa on Saturday. He said the recent national report by the Botswana Institute for Development Policy Analysis (BIDPA) highlighted a sharp decline in food security across the country hence the need to support and assist any efforts toward food production.
“With our diamond industry facing global shifts and competition from lab-grown diamonds, agriculture now stands as our most reliable economic alternative that we must all engage in,” he said.
Mr Motsage said the council was committed to upgrading the gravel road from Ramotswa to Otse via Sakutswane lands, which would benefit the transportation of produce and inputs. He said they would establish rural health posts in Lesetlheng, Lephala, and Maokamatshwane, ensuring farmers and families had access to healthcare.
“We plan to introduce fair and timely payment systems for tractors to allow smooth planting and ploughing seasons. We would urge government to consult farmers before rolling out new farming schemes, so that no one is left behind or harmed by sudden changes. We are also working toward establishing dedicated banking services for farmers so that agriculture can be financed fairly and locally,” he added.
He urged farmers to make full use of government programmes to grow farming operations and also engage in cluster farming initiatives especially within local lands. He said land was a strength and key to reviving economy and cautioned farmers against selling land.
“Improve dialogue between farmer committees and the wider farming community. Let’s tackle issues like boreholes, dams, fodder production and modernisation together,” he said.
He cited delayed government payments as something that continued to frustrate farmers, and also unfair and unequal distribution of farming inputs and services by the agricultural departments, which was demotivating grassroots farmers.
District Agricultural Coordinator, Dr Kingsley Siele said the agricultural sector was on a downward spiral despite countless mitigation measures from government. He encouraged all stakeholders to come on board and revive the sector, which had a potential to be a big money spinning business.
For his part one of the event organisers, Mr Joseph Maotwanyane said the farmers’ day was an annual event aimed at showcasing their products, facilitating networking and fostering future collaborations. He said the event also served as a platform to encourage farmers improve their production and utilise land effectively. Mr Maotwanyane said they had faced financial and logistical challenges and appealed to all stakeholders to come on board in future.
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