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CEDA assists farmers acquire fertilizers
Dec. 15, 2008
Answering a question in Parliament the Assistant Minister of Agriculture Mr Shaw Kgathi explained that with its low interest rates of between 5 and 7%, CEDA assists horticultural farmers to acquire their production inputs including fertilizers.
He said he was however not aware that major suppliers of fertilizers favour distributors who in turn mainly supply big farmers in merchandised farming.
Horticultural farmers are one of the major users of fertilizers and fertilizer suppliers do good business with them, he said.
Mr Kgathi noted that, “in fact suppliers such as Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board (BAMB) and other private agrochemical suppliers are always willing to provide fertilizer services including special fertilizer for specialized ploughing system to horticultural farmers”.
He added that his ministry does not have capacity building measures to assist horticultural farmers to acquire fertilizers from fertilizer merchants.
He noted however, that as part of the ministry’s training programme of horticultural farmers such as NAMPAADD, general knowledge and skills is imparted to such farmers including sources and types of fertilizers and their use.
He said the ministry however, continued to continuously run courses in horticultural production through various programmes.
He said having appreciated that fertilizers have become one of the most expensive inputs in horticultural production, the ministry intended to specifically address the needs of horticultural farmers as the sub-sector is considered important in employment creation, poverty alleviation and economic diversification of the agricultural sector.
Mr Kgathi was responding to a question by Kweneng East MP Major General Moeng Pheto who had asked the minister to state how his ministry is assisting the Botswana Horticultural Council and its members to access fertilizers as major suppliers apparently favour distributors who in turn supply big farmers in merchandised farming.
Maj. Gen Pheto also wanted to know whether there were any capacity building measures undertaken by his ministry to assist such farmers and if there were any plans to assist the sector in agricultural development.
Source: Daily News
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