24 Aug 2024

The 2024 National Agricultural Show has registered a record number of about 1 100 livestock for exhibition compared to years back. National Agricultural Show chairperson, Mr Thapelo Setlalekgosi said in an interview that they had registered about 300 cattle and 450 goats in the competing category, including more than 300 meat master sheep in the non-competing cadre. Mr Setlalekgosi said in the crop sector, they also had so much produce exhibited, both rain and drought fed, including maize and sorghum, among others. “Despite the dry spell experienced lately, the attitude and perseverance spirit among local farmers in boosting national food security was quite satisfactory. This is a good sign in the pursuit toward revamping local food production,” he said. He said agricultural shows were essential in demonstrating the readiness level of any given country in terms of measuring its food security endeavors. In addition, he said from the private sector companies, which mostly assisted in the agricultural value chain, they had also registered numbers. He said this year, they had recorded 112 stalls compared to 80 from the previous year, which saw them having to extend their exhibition space to cater for more companies to showcase their offerings. Mr Setlalekgosi said given the drought spell currently experienced, they were proud to be joined by a few South African companies, which came to showcase centre-pivots, which he said were artefacts used for irrigation purposes in the ploughing fields. “This too was a good sign of growth and self-sustenance among local farmers to be recognised by foreign companies in the agricultural value-chain,” he added. He further he was eased by the involvement of women in farming, owing to the number of those who graced the show and dominated in the chicken and piggery sectors. However, he reiterated that youth numbers in the farming space was not that satisfactory given their turnout at this year’s exhibition. He highlighted the introduction of intervention programmes such as Temo Letlotlo, Thuo Letlotlo, saying they were timely as they brought capacity to assist farmers to obtain such innovations as centre-pivots, which were not popular in the fields. He encouraged farmers to acquaint themselves with these agricultural interventions, which paved way to earning more from what they planted, to procure centre-pivots, sophisticated planters, grass cutters, silage machines and bailers. He also urged Batswana to stand firm and united in building their food security and desist from thinking their foodstuffs would come elsewhere. He said Batswana farmers should take advantage of recent vegetable ban strategy and procure more to earn more. Ends