Agriculture can contribute more ( 04 July, 2007)

MAHALAPYE - Agriculture needs to be developed if it is to contribute more than it presently do to Botswanas economic growth, the Assistant Minister of Agriculture, Mr Olifant Mfa, said.

Addressing a kgotla meeting at Pallaroad near Mahalapye on Friday, Mr Mfa urged arable farmers to adopt viable farming methods and to plant sunflower, vegetables and fruits instead of growing only traditional crops such as maize and sorghum.

Mr Mfa raised concern about the residents failure to use agricultural programmes, as evidenced by the fact that only one resident has applied for assistance through the new ALDEP programme.

He advised the youth to use the Young Farmers Fund, an investment window under the Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency, to invest in income-generating projects, thus reducing unemployment.

To reduce rural-urban migration, he said government had come up with schemes that encourage people to gainfully engage in farming.

He explained that his ministry was in the process of controlling prices of stock feed and other agricultural products to, among others, restrain companies from hiking the prices unnecessarily.

The Chairman of the Farmers Committee, Mr Phang Gaorengwe, complained about impalas, which have destroyed the crops, saying the wildlife department should compensate the affected farmers.

Ms Botlogile Tshireletso, the MP for Mahalapye East, said she would invite the Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism to a meeting with the residents regarding the impala problem.