Letlhakane: Karekatee Subsistence Farmers Cluster in Mokobilo in Boteti area is determined to utilise the new Conservation Agriculture (CA) method in the current ploughing period.
The cluster’s chairperson, Boitshwarelo Masole, said on Monday that they were going use the donated tractor-hauled ripper to till their fields in preparation for planting.
“Our fields cover a total area of 620 hectares of fenced agricultural land. Sixty-three farmers form the cluster. We started by applying for a fence through the government’s LIMID in 2012. However, part of the fenced area – about 144 hectares – is still to be allocated to us by land board. Masole said some of them went to Pretoria to attend an agricultural seminar while still operating as a support group under BONEPWA.
She said her cluster members are determined to continue farming. They intend turning commercial in the future. She has drilled a borehole in her field and though she initially intended embarking on horticulture, her dream is now to embark on fodder production.
“There is a lot of underground water in our area. The borehole I have drilled, for instance, is only 33 metres deep and supplies 12 000 cubic metres of water. Since we are of various ages it is our wish as the elderly to hand over management to the younger energetic members,” she said, adding that their joining fee is P50.
