Glen Valley farmers not utilising plots (03 April, 2006)

GABORONE - Poor infrastructure, lack of electricity and clean drinking water, as well as flooding are some of the problems hindering Glen Valley horticultural farmers from fully utilising their plots.

Former agriculture minister Ronald Sebego who is one of the plot owners said this at a meeting of the farmers and officials from the ministries of agriculture and lands and housing in Sebele last week.

He said they were promised that the facilities will be provided and that they are now behind schedule.

He requested the two ministries to explain the reasons for the delay in providing the facilities, as they have had endless promises from the ministries.

Sebego said the dirt road to the plots was in a bad shape, and that their vehicles get stuck in the mud during the rainy season.

He said the lack of electricity is another impediment to their efforts to develop their plots, adding that they are forced to buy expensive equipment that does not use electricity when they could have bought cheaper electric equipment.

Another concern of the farmers, says Sebego, is the lack of clean drinking water, adding that they waste their precious time and fuel to fetch water from Gaborone.

He said the recycled water that they receive is not good for other crops, and that the recycled water has a low pressure which is unable to turn sprinklers for irrigation. He said some plots were flooded during the recent rains.

Consequently, some of them have not started planting their fields.

The Glen Valley plots were allocated to 47 farmers last year on a 25-year lease agreement.
The farmers are charged 25 thebe per square metre as rental, and they are expected to produce vegetables and other crops such as butternuts, watermelons, maize, fruit trees and flowers.

Small scale plots range from 1.7 to 3.8 hectares while medium to large plots measure 7.6 to over 12 hectares.

Sebego also said it is unfair for the Ministry of Lands and Housing to charge them rent for the plots while the land is not serviced.

He added that since the land is not serviced, it is difficult for them to start production, and without production, they are unable to afford the rent.

The chairperson at Glen Valley farmers, Moses Phuti, says he has already started producing at his plot, but is also concerned about the undeveloped land that was supposed to be serviced.
He said the unavailability of clean drinking water was also a big problem for him as well as the lack of a good road network.

However, he said his colleagues should also start production in their plots.

He said there is a huge demand for vegetables and all of them will find a market for their produce. Phuti also urged other farmers to at least clear bushes in their plots.

Phuti, who lost vegetables worth over P150 000 to floods, said it is disappointing that he will not be compensated.

He added that other farmers will be even more reluctant to start production in plots that are likely to flood during heavy rains if they would not be compensated.

Another farmer expressed his concern about the quality of water, adding that they are not able to produce all the crops and vegetables they want.

He said some plots have trenches which are useless to farmers, but that they are also included in the total area under rent.

He also said other plots which are near the water treatment plant are flooded by dirty water when the plant over spills. He added that the vegetables from such plots are a health hazard.
In an interview with BOPA, the Permanent Secretary of Agriculture Mathias Chakalisa said the development of the Glen Valley farms was planned to take place in two phases.

He said the first phase involved the provision of irrigation facilities and toilets for small scale plots.

He said the second phase involves the provision of roads, portable water and toilets for medium and large scale plots.

Chakalisa said they were still waiting for the approval of the design of roads and water pipes from the authorising board.

He said the Botswana Power Corporation was also due to give them a quotation for group application to provide electricity.

The permanent secretary also promised that the drainage system of the plots will be improved after the rainy season. BOPA