Moremedi happy with the National Master Plan for Arable Agriculture and Dairy Development progress (3 September 2007)

The coordinator of National Master Plan for Arable Agriculture and Dairy Development (NAMPAADD) says he is optimistic that the programme will achieve its goals.

Speaking during a one-day NAMPAADD stakeholders workshop at Sebele on Friday, Mr Gagoitsewe Moremedi said although much has not been achieved, he was optimistic that the programme, which has a horizon implementation period of 10 years, will pass the litmus test.

NAMPAADD was started in 2003 after a consultancy study to investigate the constraints affecting the three agricultural sub-sectors in which Botswana has been underperforming.These sub sectors are dairy farming, irrigated agriculture and rain fed farming.

He said phase one of the programme at Ramatlabama Rain Fed Production and Training Farm (PTF), NAMPAAD has recruited 64 pilot farmers, trained 155 extension workers and trained 334 farmers on minimum tillage, spacing density, sowing techniques, fertilisation, weed control, use of hybrid seeds and soil sampling.Mr Moremedi said phase two has a selection of 34 pilot and seven model farmers while 177 farmers and 375 extension workers were trained.He, however, outlined the challenges facing rain fed agriculture, which....