28 Oct 2024

Gumare residents have been encouraged to take advantage of government programmes meant to uplift their lives.

Speaking during a kgotla meeting attended by President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi in Gumare on Saturday, the assistant minister of Agriculture Mr Molebatsi Molebatsi said government was injecting a lot of money in agriculture, stating that so far P970 million had been allocated to the Temo Letlotlolo Programme.

Mr Molebatsi said the Temo Letlotlo and Thuo Letlotlo programmes were intended for Batswana to improve their standard of living.

The minister was however worried that the uptake of government programmes in some parts of Botswana was slow.

He said the packages should be accessed by every Motswana regardless of age, gender or background.

Mr Molebatsi said recently, a paltry 11 people applied for tractors through the tractor and implement scheme in the region.

These schemes are meant to transform the agricultural sector and produce quality products, Mr Molebatsi said. He said President Masisi was resolute in improving the quality of farming in Botswana, adding that government also wanted farming which was environmentally friendly hence the requirements.

Mr Molebatsi said the prevailing drought circumstances should not discourage people from applying for Thuo Letlotlo as government encouraged farmers to also produce animal feed.

He said through Thuo Letlotlo, farmers could group themselves into a syndicate of 15 or more. To receive assistance to drill a borehole at no charge.

The minister also talked about human-wildlife conflict saying, “we know of the human-wildlife conflict in this area, but the President has directed us to consider if famers could be given electric fence for their boreholes, to avoid vandalism by elephants.”

He said government had secured a market for Botswana beef in China, noting that the Chinese market was huge and lucrative with better prices.

 He said government was due to sign a protocol in that regard. ENDS