Agrinews January 2013 - Ministry of Agriculture

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during drought years. Moreover, the
use of adapted species and varieties,
the adoption of dry land agriculture
techniques in rain fed agriculture;
farmers can also substantially
improve and stabilize crop yields. In
fact, many researchers have revealed
in on-farm trials the importance of
minimum tillage (Kacemi, 1992),
no-till (Bouzza, 1990) and mulching
technologies. These techniques
have also proved to be reducing
evaporation, increase the interception
of rain and its infiltration and insure
the saving of water, energy and time,
guarantee a long-term increase and
increase the sequestration of carbon.
It has also been observed that
chemical fallowing (controlling of
weeds by the use of chemicals) can
allow the conservation of between
75 and 100 mm of water in the soil
(Bouzza, 1990), which can be able to
sustain some forage crops that require
minimum moisture. In Botswana for
example, some strategies employed
to thwart the effects of the dry spells
include among others storage of
crop harvests from good seasons and
supplementary feeding (Mogotsi and
Nyariki, 2011). However, the latter
strategy can only be employed by
those farmers who have the means
(whose wealth is beyond reproach).
BOTSWANA AFRICAN ARMY WORM (SEBOKO SA SEGOPA) MAP
(AS AT 22/01/2013)
#
Gantsi
#
#
NGAMILAND
#
Maun
#
#
#
#
GHANZI
#
CHOBE
Kasane
#
#
Orapa
#
#
#
#
Nata
#
#
Serowe
# #
Tutume
#
#
CENTRAL
#
#
#
Mahalapye
CONCLUSION
There are many strategies that can
be employed to mitigate the menace
effects of droughts as fore noted that
can be chosen depending on the area
affected. The bottom line is that the
livestock species has to be saved in
whatever circumstance the mitigation
strategy would be geared to.
Author: J.K. Mthetho
Department of Animal Production
Mochudi
Tel: 5777075/288
E-mail: jmthetho@gmail.com
AFRICAN ARMYWORM ( SEBOKO SA SEGOPA ) OUTBREAK MAP ( AS AT 22/01/2013 )
N
#
## # #
NORTH EAST
# Francistown
#
Tonota
##
#
#
Bobonong
# #
Selebi Phikwe
Palapye
# #
##
#
# #
#
#
#
Hiwa Moreki
dedicated bean farmer
Article & Photos: France Begensel
Many small scale farmers across
the country have not embraced
the idea of specialising on one
particular crop. Only a handful have
seen the importance of that. Amongst
such farmers is Hiwa Moreki, 55, of
Mokalaneng lands in Ngwaketse East
near Magothwane village. Moreki, a
bean farmer only worked for a few
years as a driver in the Department
of Water Affairs from 1981-1985. He
then quit to focus his energies on
dryland farming.
Moreki learnt a lot by benchmarking
in Pandamatenga, Musi lands and also
visited prominent farmers like Kgosi
Daniel Mathiba, Oarabile Dingalo,
John Phirinyane and Mokwapa
Ramusu. He adds that his experiences
in farming have taught him that beans
do well in Magothwane/Nhlanhle area,
the reason he took it up.
He also reveals that legume prices at
the Botswana Agricultural marketing
Board are very ecncouraging. The
recent initiative by the Ministry of Local
Government and Rural Development
to have farmers supply primary schools
with farm produce like mealies,
watermelon and beans could also not
have come at a better time. He states
that this is motivation enough for one
to produce on a large scale.
With a 13,5 hectare field, Moreki
decided to allocate 13,3 hecters to
growing beans. He planted them in
September unlike in the previous years
where he took to the fields in November.
This, he reveals has helped him a lot as
he expects his first harvest mid January.
He also posits that planting earlier is
a blessing because by the time wild
animals come to scavenge for food
in the lands he would have already
harvested. This also helps avoid crops
suffering from heatstroke in January as
it would be very hot.
The former water affairs driver discloses
that he used the ISPAAD programme.
This he says helped him with fertilizers
and ploughing. But as for seeds he
bought them himself. He posits that
the programme has helped him a lot
and that on his own he could not have
achieved anything.
“I have planted the Black eye and
Ramonnana varieties. This is because
they do not take long to mature. And
that you harvest the Black eye twice
and the Ramonnana variety three times.”
He adds that with these varieties one
would always realise profit.
Although Moreki decries the lack of
implements in farming, he always row
plants. He says that it makes it easier
to weed, harvest and to move around.
He reveals that row planted crops
are always healthy because they do
not compete for water and nutrients.
Moreki states that he used a planter he
recently acquired and is not a model
he is familiar with. He says that this
resulted in uneven distribution and
spread of both seeds and fertilizers
but believes he would have acquinted
himself to it in the next planting season.
When harvesting is done, the crop
residue is thrashed and fed to livestock
and small stock. Nothing is thrown
away, discloses Moreki. He says he
sells these to farmers who come as far
as Gantsi and Charleshill.
As a small scale farmer, Moreki says
he has learnt a lot from his farming
experiences. He reveals that he has
acquired a 170hectare field which
he intends to use half for legume
production and the remaining part for
other crops like mealies, sorghum and
water melons.
Kang #
KGALAGADI
Tsabong
#
KWENENG
#
# # KGATLENG
#
#
Molepolole
Mochudi
#
#
#
Jwaneng #
#
#
# #
# #
#
# ##
# # #
# # # # # #
SOUTHERN
# # # # GABORONE
Kanye # # Ramotswa
# #
# SOUTH EAST
#
#
#
# Lobatse
# #
# #
# #
#
# #
Legend
# Confirmed African Army Worm Outbreak
# Unconfirmed African Army Worm Outbreak
# Major village
Major river
Main road
District boundary
Compiled by Ministry of Agriculture Gaborone, Botswana
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January 2013 January 2013