21 Nov 2024

Agricultural revolution is silently taking place in Dikgonnye in Kgatleng District where two farmers have become torchbearers for new farming practices and introduction of high value crops.

The two farmers have piloted high value crops to test new agricultural practices first-hand as well as to empower their communities.

The duo, Professor Flora Meulenberg and Ms Mothusi Mangoye, have turned their farms to act as immersive classrooms where traditional farming methods meet modern technology, and where people are equipped with the crucial knowledge needed to adapt, thrive and sustain in a rapidly progressing agricultural landscape.

Speaking in an interview, Kgatleng District Agriculture coordinator, Ms Kgotso Madisa said the two farmers agreed with Kgatleng District Crop Production department to test production of safflower and wheat, so that famers could start diversifying their crops.

“We just gave them some small crops of safflower and wheat to test if they can adapt in our area so that this can be extended to other farmers. These are also part of the new crops introduced in Thuo Letlotlo,” she said.

Ms Madisa said pilot farming was an important platform for free agricultural education and real hands-on fieldwork that was an important component in their work, adding that countries that had established such practice had improved agricultural yields.

She said traditional farmers were hesitant to invest in things without first seeing them work, hence the two farmers agreed to test such crops as a way to demonstrate to other farmers in a free risk manner.

“This is very important because they get to see and hear from the farmers’ first-hand information,” she said.

Prof. Meulenberg, who is a soil scientist at Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, said she had always practiced what she taught.

She was of the view that practicing agriculture methods and introduction of diverse crops served as invaluable platforms for educating both the community and farmers.

In her 15 hectare field, she only uses two and half hectare as a beehive of activities where she ploughs a wide array of high value crops ranging from sweetcorn, mini sweet peppers, cucumbers, baby marrows, patty pans, safflower, green peas, red onion and garlic among others.

Her wealth of knowledge as a soil scientist further helps her to produce better yields in a small space of land as she provides the right soil nutrients to her crops.

Prof. Muleunberg explained that safflower alone was good enough to turn around the economy and unlock entrepreneurial opportunities in agriculture.

She said it had many uses, including as a food, a source of oil, a dye, and a medicine, while wheat on the other hand was important for its nutritional value, ease of storage and variety in cooking.

Ms Manguye, Barbara butternut, sweetcorn, peppers, safflower, water melons and other crops on a rotational basis depending on the seasons.

She said high value crops were essential in the sense that small production provided higher net returns.

Although, she is not an agriculture professional, she has learnt over the years how to maintain the soil with using traditional nutrients such as cow dung and others to improve her production.

“I have learnt how to diversify the crops and to plant them on a rotational to improve soil health and optimise nutrients in the soil,” she said.

Meanwhile, the two have complained about uncoordinated market for agriculture produce.

They were of the view that big retail stores had developed a habit to produce for their stores, leaving farmers with options to sell their produce to vendors with compromised purchasing power.

They called on government to find lasting solutions for local farmers.

To the farmers that attended the farm walk, the impression was that big land was not the main ingredient to high yields, as they asked questions as to how they could improve their produce mixing high value crops and their traditional agricultural practices. ENDS