Some farmers have not yet collected their payments for ploughing under the government’s Integrated Support Programme for Arable Agricultural Development for 2012-2013 season.
This was disclosed by the Principal Public Relations Officer in the Ministry of Agriculture, Geoffrey Pheko. He said that so far, P135, 412, 541, 60 had been paid under the scheme whilst the government is still to pay P 9, 585, 886. 90.
Pheko explained that the total paid represents 93 percent of the total, adding that challenges such as internet connectivity in some instances caused the delay in paying farmers.
His advice is that farmers should make sure they collect what they are owed and start preparing for the coming ploughing season.
Pheko said two months ago, the scheme was reviewed in an effort to make sure it is better suited to serve farmers. Under the reviewed scheme, subsistence farmers, those catergorised as farmers who cultivate a maximum of 16 hectraes, will get 100 percent subsidy for row ploughing, planting, harrowing, hybrid seeds, herbicides and fertilizers for up to five hectares.
Emerging farmers will be assisted to 35 percent assistance whilst commercial farmers will get assistance of up to 500 hectares. The amount for ploughing will under the reviewed scheme be P860 per hectare, P500 for tillage and P360 for harrowing.
Earlier this year, there was an outcry from tractor owners when government temporarily suspended payments because of lack of funds. The complaints were, amongst others, that the government had abused them by having them plough for other farmers only to, afterwards, refuse to pay for work done.
But the government explanation was that the money will be paid under the new financial year. MOA figures state that since the introduction of the scheme, harvest has grown from 55,000 to 118,131 tonnes for the year 2012. The scheme has, however, been questioned by, amongst others, newly elected Chairman of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party Guma Moyo who said that he wonders if the scheme is producing the desired results considering the amounts spent on it.
