GHANZI SHOW - Ministry of Agriculture

After years of stumbling along
in the dark, arable farming
could well be on its way to
reclaiming its rightful place as a key
part of agriculture space in Ghanzi.
Over the years, the area was dominated
by livestock keeping. However, this
might change as dry land farming
has a potential of growth in Ghanzi
district. This was evident at this year’s
Ghanzi show, first time in years there
were around 108 arable exhibitors at
the show. Over the years, the Ghanzi
show has been dominated by livestock
exhibits so the increase in arable
exhibits shows an elevated amount
of growth in terms of arable farming.
Some of their exhibits included
beans, sunflower, oranges,
maize, and groundnuts.
This development could be
attributed to the introduction
of the Integrated Support
Programme for Arable
Agricultural Development
(ISPAAD).
Th r o u g h
t h i s G o v e r n m e n t
initiative we could witness dry land
farming being widely embraced like in
the olden times. This was confirmed by
the District Agricultural Supervisor, Mr
Diphetogo Spencer Makuku “people
here were planting but due to lack
of harvest they sat back but since
ISPAAD we encounter a tremendous
comeback.” he said. He went on to
say that with the arrival of new farming
technologies and free distribution of
fertilizers people have become very
positive. He added that four people
have even bought
tractors to hire
out to others.
M a k u k u
encouraged
farmers to
e m b r a c e
a r a b l e
f a r m i n g
alongside livestock farming. He
asserted that Batswana cannot live
on milk and meat alone, hence the
need to diversify. Through ISPAAD,
farmers could increase their hectarage
in order to sell surplus as well as feed
their livestock with farm litter. He
noted that Botswana imports a lot
of agricultural products. One of the
farmers who enjoy the dividends of
engaging in arable farming is Mr Besa
Dabe of Grootlaagte. He describes
himself as a small scale subsistence
farmer who thrives on beans and
maize. He ploughed one hectare of
beans and harvested eight 50kg bags.
He sold four and kept another four
for consumption and replanting in
the next season. He planted maize in
another half ha of which he sold to
the local school. He boasts of two first
prize awards he won at the Ghanzi
Agricultural Show for the beans.
Dabe reveals that he planted after
the first rains which start in October
and November. He observed that rains
that come between January and March
are heavy and it is the time when
ngadule (aphids) is most prevalent.
It is very destructive to beans; it
sucks the flower nectar until it wilts.
Moreover, after the March rains
weeds come out in abundance and
are difficult to control.
July 2012