18 Dec 2024

Ministry of Land and Agriculture will continue to register tractors for 2024/2025 ploughing season until the end of ploughing season. 

Minister of Lands and Agriculture, Dr Micus Chimbombi told Parliament that in order for tractors to be registered in Crop Management System (CMS), the requirements were that such tractors should have a registration book or blue book indicating its ownership details. 

He said the ministry acknowledged that there were tractors which did not have registration books due to different reasons and were confined to farming fields as farm implements yet were fit to undertake tillage services. 

Dr Chimbombi said those tractors due to absence of registration books were not registered in the CMS. He said the ministry recognised that in light of the fitness of such tractors and their use as farm implements, they could benefit the ministry, to augment those that were already registered in the CMS and provide tillage services. 

To that end, Dr Chimbombi said owners of tractors not registered in the CMS, which either did not have registration book or had never been registered, or have been refurbished, should make an affidavit with the police or Botswana Unified Revenue Services (BURS) to enable the ministry to register them in the CMS for provision of tillage services. 

He however, cautioned those who intended to register tractors without registration books that such implements were not allowed by law to use the road and that when used for tillage services, the owners should only confine themselves to the fields and back roads to carry out their services. 

Parliament also learnt that there were 5 000 tractors belonging to individual farmers and /or companies in the CMS to provide tillage services. Furthermore, Dr Chimbombi said there were 1 000 newly purchased tractors through Temo Letlotlo tractor subsidy scheme to provide tillage services.

Kanye East MP, Mr Prince Mosanana had asked if the ministry was aware that shortage of registered tractors impacted negatively in the past ploughing season.  He had also asked if the ministry would allow unregistered tractor owners to benefit from Temo Letlotlo as it had been the case with the previous administration. ENDS