Sometime in 1995 at Gabane Community Junior Secondary School, a Science teacher paid an unexpected visit to a class which was out of control. As expected, upon entering the classroom, there was a deafening silence from students behind the commotion. By a stroke of misfortune, an innocent, shy female student was caught giggling causing the teacher a great deal of chagrin. Though guiltless, she paid a hefty prize on behalf of the real culprits!
Without a stick with which he usually applied corporal punishment, the teacher decided to punish her with ‘some nasty work’. She told her to feed fish at the Science laboratory daily. This of course, included ensuring that the aquarium was kept clean. She had to come earlier than other students to execute this ‘duty’.
Two decades down the line, the fruits of the punishment are a completely divergent manifestation. The now married mother of one; Bonosi Selotlegeng of Rabbie Farm in Rakola lands near Gabane, boasts of owning nine fishponds, 1,900 Cup fish, 850 Cat fish, 2,400 bream, 2,000 and 2,600 other types of fish; in what she still calls a ‘research project’. To ensure it is a sustainable project in the coming three years (which mark the 10th year of her plan) she has a vegetable garden, watered by recycled water from the fish ponds and is fertilized by organic manure from the ponds; as well as an orchard and two poultries.
“My ten- year-plan, which is on its seventh year, is to have an integrated farming project. To ensure there is money to pay for electricity and the five permanent workers I have here, I started that vegetable garden. In there I practice crop rotation and produce spinach, rape, green pepper some herbs. I also have that orchard. I sell rape, tomatoes and peppers to street vendors who buy them in bulk. This helps a lot in maintaining sound cash flow,” she said, adding that she needs around P10 000 per month to run the farm. This covers the feeds for her animals-fish, chickens, ducks, guinea fowls and quells birds. She does not draw any salary for herself as her focus is on the expansion of the project until she is satisfied that it sustains itself. It should be a full-fledged integrated farming project.
“Unemployment’s frustrations turned me into what I am. I looked around and saw no viable and sustainable opportunities except in the Agricultural sector. I looked further afield and lo and behold! Here in Southern Botswana many are into poultry and other such small projects. I remembered the fish I fed at school. I decided I should become a fish farmer. Many did not take me serious; including my mum. She asked whether I lost my mind and needed some examination. I agreed that she could take me to Sbrana mental hospital, they would give me treatment if need be, and I would come back and pursue my fish farming,” she said with a jolly smile.
Now 35 years old, she is a breeder of fish. Given the environment of her farm, it suits to be defined as a ‘basic fisheries college’. Anyone who wishes to undertake fish farming can learn several basics from the farm.
The infrastructure there shows why the shape of a pond determines the growth and development of fish. It shows with scientifically proven evidence, how fish grow faster in summer than in winter. It interprets how shade affects growth and development of fish. This is so because the hard-working lady cautiously took necessary steps needed in fish farming. After visiting the Department of Wildlife for advice, though they initially took her for a joke, she undertook a benchmarking trip to Mmadinare near the mining town of Selibe-Phikwe, where she spent half the day absorbing every detail of the business on her mind.
When she finally made a final decision to embark on farming, she got full support of both her parents who granted her six hectors of their farm. She speaks with affection the kind of support she received from her father who popped up start up funds for her project and went further to give morale and motivational support-travelling with her to Mmadinare.
To prove beyond a reasonable doubt that fish farming is her calling, she starts her day at 0500hrs, testing the alkalinity of the water in the ponds, verifying fish populations, checking and ensuring predators are kept at bay, ensuring the cleanliness of the ponds and all the other chains of duties. She holds planner meetings on a weekly basis, on Mondays with her employees.
Quizzed on where she sees herself in the next five years, Selotlegeng’s response is that she is looking forward to having the role of mentoring new, young fish farmers. She encourages people to read and continue learning even as she continues to learn herself.
She expressed concern over the fact that while farming in other countries is a youth thing, Batswana youth seem to have little or no interest in the same. She said in the United States where she went following recognition by US authorities of her contribution to her community’s livelihood, one can find a 24 year old youth being a farmer who supplies a portion of a state with farm produce. In Kenya, the country’s export-coffee- is produced by the youth. If anything at all, this should appeal loudly to the youth here.
