Dry Botswana innovatively boosts yields

Botswana's minister of agriculture is optimistic that despite harsh climatic conditions, crop yields can be significantly increased. He said under irrigated agriculture, yields have increased from about 20 tons per hectare to about 37 tons per hectare.

Johhny Swartz said, "Under rain fed farming, yields have increased from 200 kg per hectare to 270kg per hectare in communal areas and from 1 tonne per hectare to 2 tonnes per hectare in commercial areas. It has also been demonstrated that under dairy, milk yields could be increased. When we started some three years ago, the national average was about 10 litres per cow per day. Using innovative technology the production is 30 litres per cow per day."


Johnny Swartz made his view known at the planting of olive trees, a project initiative with the Israeli's Tahal Group at Glen Valley Production and Training Farm (PTF) project. He said Glen Valley PTF is one of the four that are developed by his ministry as part of the ultimate objective of making agriculture competitive, attractive and profitable.

Swartz explained that seven cultivars of olives have been planted at Glen Valley Production and Training Farm. "This represents the first ever trees grown in the country at a commercial level," he said.

Eyton Retchter, the managing director of Tahal Group said the company is active in about 20 developing countries. "When we look at a country to invest, we look at potential of that country as well as risks. Botswana has an excellent management and sound policies, making it a safe place for investors. We just started with this project and we hope to continue with other projects," he said.

allafrica.com