Agrinews January 2013 - Ministry of Agriculture

A G R I N E W S J A N U A R Y
2013
Contents
Editorial
Weeds and their control
Honey Production gives Moloi escape route
Impact of drought in Fodder & Livestock
Production
It all starts with the soil
Southern District farmers field day
Factors that contribute to low honey production
Hiwa Moreki; dedicated bean producer
Sustaining honeybees
Fodder production
Question and Answers
Kakamane Educational tour
Word grid
Moreri Moesi
Acting Editor
Joseph Ramodisa
Reporters:
France Begensel
Keamogetse Boitshepo
Kesogofetse Tawele
Mokgarebe Motswakhumo
Esther Nkgwang
Modiegi Madumetsa
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10
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Keabetswe Molebatsi
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Designer:
Moreri Modipe
Head of Photography
Henry Toto
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Photographers:
Pius Nkunda
VISION
Attain national food security
and global competitiveness
in agricultural products
MISSION
To improve agricultural productivity
through technology development
and transfer, diversification and
commercialization, in
order to promote food security in
partnership with our stakeholders.
VALUES
FOUNDATION
PILLARS
1. BOTHO
We treat our customers in
a respectable and caring manner.
2. TEAM WORK
We recognize the need to work as
a team characterized by collective
effort, trust, understanding,
support and perseverance
irrespective of rank or gender.
3. CUSTOMER FOCUSED
Our customers are the focus
of everything we do by being
courteous, caring, compassionate,
tolerant and empathetic.
4. INNOVATIVE
We commit to employ new ideas
and being proactive in order to
match the requirements of the
future.
5. INTEGRITY
We foster a culture of transparency,
accountability and dependability.
THE MISTERY WORM
Good rains usually bring
perennial smiles to farmers,
plants and animals alike. For
farmers enough harvest, plants plenty
of water and animals enough to feedon.
However, there is always hidden
‘evils’ associated with these good
times. There is normally a surge in
pests, because it is their right to have
a share in this abundance.
If not attended to timeously, pests
can destroy the farmer’s hope. To
some arable farmers, 2013 started on
a wrong footing due to an invasion
of the African Army worm or mistery
worm. It was a panic month as the
worm threatened a coup d’état to the
arable sub-sector. This is not an ideal
way to start the year.
The worm first detected in Kweneng
South, Ngamiland and Central
district swiftly invaded other parts
of the country. The whole country
was nearly red. Agrinews thanks the
farming community and the Ministry
of Agriculture staff for ensuring that
the invasion was contained before it
stampeded a lot of fields.
Farmers worked with MoA officers to
control the spread of the worm. It is
a fact that the ministry alone could
not have managed to control it. The
editor’s note
spread of the worm was a possible
tragedy to the arable sector.
As I write this note, the worm is
under control and in some areas is
already pupating. However, we wish
to caution farmers that there might
be a secondary infestation. Therefore
be always in the look-out and report
any suspicious cases to the relevant
authorities.
No one can tell when because it
is dependant on amongst others
conducive weather conditions. At
hind sight, I can safely say we have
fought a good fight, although the
battle is not over until our crops are
in storage houses ready to feed the
nation.
After working so hard together, let
us not fight over keeping fields free
of weeds. You must aim to increase
yield per hectare and one of the ways
is keeping the fields clean. We all
know weeds do not only compete for
nutrients with crops but also house
migratory pests. Do every thing within
your power to weed your field and be
a contributor towards improving food
security in our country.
Betsho, a re se “adimeng tshwene
marapo” (lets work hard) and make
this planting season a success story.
January December 2013 2012 January December 2013 2012
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