ITS BACK TO PLOUGHING - Ministry of Agriculture

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UPDATE ON RIFT VALLEY FEVERZONE 4A AND LESOMAFMD OUTBREAKThe Department of Veterinary Services wishes to update the public on theRift Valley Fever situation and FMD.Rift Valley FeverFollowing the outbreak of Rift Valley Feverat Seribe crush in Ramotswa in June 2010,the Department undertook an extensivesurveillance to establish the extent of spreadof the disease. Surveillance investigations didnot show presence of the disease anywhereelse except Seribe crush in Ramotswa. This isfurther evidence that the disease has not spreadbeyond Seribe crush. However countrywidesurveillance is on-going and farmers are urgedto report any cases of abortion or deaths inyoung animals .Emergency vaccination in response to theoutbreak is complete in Ramotswa, Otse andMogobane extension areas. All cattle andsmall stock in the vaccinated areas have beenvaccinated twice three weeks apart.As the disease was confined to Seribe crushand emergency vaccination has been completedin Ramotswa extension areas, the Departmenthas revised the control strategy as follows;1. Vaccination in South East and Kgatlengdistricts and Goodhope sub-districts is nolonger compulsory but however farmers areencouraged to vaccinate their cattle andsmall stock against Rift Valley Fever in theseareas. Farmers who wish to vaccinate theircattle and small stock are to give the initial twovaccinations three weeks apart and thereafterevery 12 months. For livestock that have alreadybeen vaccinated against Rift Valley Fever are tobe given booster vaccination after 12 monthsfrom the second vaccination.2. Movement of cattle and small stock within,out of or into Kgatleng, and South East districtsand Goodhope sub district is allowed underpermit without the requirement for vaccinationagainst Rift Valley Fever.Zone 4aFollowing the recognition of zone 4a as a Footand Mouth Disease (FMD) free zone withoutvaccination in May 2010 by the World Organizationfor Animal Health (OIE), the Department openednegotiations with the Republic of South Africa(RSA), to consider lifting the 21 days quarantiningperiod for cattle destined for NON-EU export. TheRepublic of South Africa have since accepted ourrequest.Therefore cattle from 4a will continue to beslaughtered at Francistown export abattoir duringthe NON-EU kill without quarantining, with effectfrom the next NOEU kill in December 2010 underthe Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) quotasystem. Therefore farmers are expected to requestfor quotas from BMC Francistown for the cattle tobe slaughtered during NON EU kill.All cattle destined for slaughter at Francistownexport abattoir will be loaded at strategicallylocated loading facilities within zone 4a. Theidentified loading facilities will be communicatedat a later stage.Trade negotiations with the European Union (EU)for consideration of expanding the export zone toinclude zone 4a are on-going.Lesoma FMD outbreakAn outbreak of foot and mouth disease which wasreported on the 3th August 2010, is now undercontrol, after standard control measures wereput in place. The last reported case was on the4th September 2010. Therefore livestock (underpermit) and livestock products are now allowedinto and within Chobe district except fromKazungula, Lesoma, Kilo 256 and Pandamatenga.Movement of sun dried thatching is allowed outof Chobe without a permit.Let me take this opportunity to thank thegeneral public as we could have not achieved thismilestones without their continued support andcooperation.November 2010 12
Article: Kgomotso MatshabaPhotos: Gabatsoswe MogapiMinister of Agriculture, MrChristiaan de Graaff says theagricultural sector is the backboneof ‘all nations’ livelihood.Addressing residents of Mmashororecently, de Graaff said the mandate of hisministry is to improve food security, createemployment, contribute to agriculturalgrowth nationally and eradicate poverty.He noted that the world has a seriousproblem of food shortage, as it should beproducing 70 percent more than whatis produced today due to increase inpopulation.He noted that every minute achild dies out of hunger globally, and thathas to be minimized or come to an end.He further pointed out that in Botswana, interms of Dairy products, cereals, fruits andvegetables; only 50% of what we need isproduced locally. He lamented that thegovernment has introduced agriculturalprogrammes such as ISPAAD, in order toMINISTER ADDRESSES MMASHORORESIDENTS ON AGRICULTURALPROGRAMMESimprove grain production, commercializeagriculture through mechanization andimprove food security.According to the minister, theproduction of food has increased since thecommencement of those programmes andeven hopes for better yields in the long run.He mentioned that the major challengesare; the delay by people to register forseeds which slows the production rate,shortage of draught power, mainlytractors.He mentioned that thegovernment pays P400 per hectarefor ploughing, P550 for plantingwhile private tractor owners chargebetween P700 and P1000 for ploughing.He emphasized that the government hasdecided to expand the ISPAAD programmeto include horticulture in order to increaseproduction of fruits and vegetables, createmore jobs and further commercializeagriculture.de Graaff warned that assistance willbe enjoyed by those who are serious inthe sector. He stated that fruitful foodproduction is about commitment.The minister said the intention bygovernment is to see farmers graduate fromsubsistence farming to commercial farming.He urged the Ministry of Agricultureofficials to invest all their time into farmersto ensure that they are fully empowered.The minister mentioned that his ministryhas been working very closely with theMinistry of Local Government on foodsecurity and poverty eradication issues. Themain focus here is Backyard gardening. Thetwo ministries encourage communities tocreate backyard gardens in their homes tofeed themselves and sell to schools as wellto make a living out of their produce.Commenting, some Mmashoro residentscomplained about the low prices offeredby Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board(BAMB).Jane Matsela appealed to government tohelp her with pesticides to control pests andinsects in her backyard garden.Kamogelo Kebusitswe on the other handappealed to the minister to help him acquirea plot to start an agricultural project.Responding, Minister de Graaff emphasizedthat government is paying farmers morethan in other countries. He highlightedthat BAMB is trying its level best to boostfarmers and when compared to othercountries, it is the best buyer.He further highlighted that at the momentgovernment has not started assisting farmerswith fertilizers, pesticides and insecticidesfor backyard gardens. Instead, he advisedfarmers to take charge of challenges theyfaced on their backyard gardens.On the land issue, the minister admittedthat there is an outcry of land in this country,but government will work harder to meet thedemands of land, especially for syndicatefarmers. However, he said government willrepossess land allocated to some peopleand were not utilising it.About the young farmers’ fund, de Graaffstated that he has written a letter to CEDAconcerning the young farmer’s fund,because a lot of concerns have been raisedabout CEDA only financing those who ownfarms.He also mentioned that there are too manyboreholes around the country that are notutilised, noting that through LIMID, theseboreholes will be identified, cleaned andavailed to the nation to use.Some of the residents of Mmashoro13November 2010
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Page 4 and 5: Article and Photos: Moreri Moesi“
Page 7 and 8: Montshwedi Galebope recieving his a
Page 13: ee drip irrigation projectsHe added
Page 17 and 18: Q. What powers the machine?Ans. The
Page 19 and 20: By Kgomotso MatshabaWhy is a tomato

ITS BACK TO PLOUGHING - Ministry of Agriculture

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