Africa-Press – Botswana. The newly revised arable sector subsidy programme, Lemang Dijo will go a long way towards addressing food security among small scale farmers and rural households, the Acting Minister of Land and Agriculture, Dr Edwin Dikoloti has said.
Giving a statement in Parliament on Friday, Dr Dikoloti said the new programne would be geared towards insuring cost-effective delivery of food security at household level, through state support provided at one hectare per farmer.
The minister revealed that the nature of support to be availed to farmers included draught power, seed supply, the provision of pesticides, threshing and shelling mechanical support, the procurement of a one colony beehive and enhanced extended services.
He revealed that government had secured insurance for the Lemang Dijo facility through the Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme, to reduce investment risk and to promote sustainable household level food production. “In the event of drought or other natural disasters, the insurance facility will help mitigate potential losses and insure programme continuity,” said Dr Dikoloti.
He further told the National Assembly that commencing this week farmers could develop their seasonal farming plans and work with his ministry to register to benefit from the programme.
“I wish to inform the farming community that beginning Monday, November 24, they may start developing their cropping plans through the Crop Management System, which will enable applications for the Lemang Dijo grant. Extension officers across the country are ready to support the 2025-26 cropping season,” said Dr Dikoloti.
He added that while stakeholder engagement would continue to take place, it would be imperative for both farmers and service providers to register before undertaking any programme related activities.
“I further urge all stakeholders to appreciate that in re-basing many corrections have to be made, which have to result in the appropriate use of resources without undermining the primary objectives of aiding food security,” said Dr Dikoloti.
The minister said as a consequence, the ministry of agriculture, working with other ministries and agents of government, would apply technological and other means to ensure productivity is improved and historical abuse of programmes was curtailed.
In developing the Lemang Dijo programme, the minister said government had factored in various considerations, including the economic challenges the country was experiencing at both national and household level, past experience of yields per farmer assisted, the bill of imported cereal per annum, as well as sub-optimal management of past programmes.
“This necessitated continued state support for particularly poor subsistence farmers but with great care taken to ensure productivity and to avoid leakages.”
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