Government, which for years has been the main organiser of the annual National Agricultural Show want to pull out and allow private players to run it.
The permanent secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) Dr. Micus Chimbombi revealed this at a stakeholders meeting on Wednesday. “I think the time has come for us to leave the private sector to organise and manage the show. We can only come at facilitation process,” he said adding that all over the world shows of such nature are privately run. He indicated that the MoA has already had talks with some stakeholders about this possibility.
Chimbombi said it would be ideal for farmers themselves to run the show since they have better access to information on the ground unlike government who rely on other stakeholders for information. He indicated that they would set time lines regarding the transfer of management of the show to independent farmers at the next meeting. The transfer in the management of the show comes at a time when the government has decided to cancel this year’s agricultural show on the backdrop of the outbreak of Rift Valley Fever Disease that has affected ruminants in the s outhern part of Botswana. The decision has since agitated farmers who indicated that they have lost money in preparation only to be told the bad news that the show would never be. Director of Veterinary Services, Philemon Motsu said they have already purchased 100 000 doses of Rift Valley Fever Disease vaccine from South Africa. He indicated that vaccine is available for sale at P 420 per 100 ml, an amount that can vaccinate 100 goats. The vaccine is available at livestock advisory centres (LAC) in Gaborone, Lobatse, Good Hope, Ramotswa and Mochudi. “ The vaccine would be done in phases,” he emphasized.
Speaking to Botswana Guardian, an independent farmer and a member of the agriculture show committee Abel Katse agreed with the PS that the time is ripe for the industry to take over the administration of these shows. He said this would help them to introduce other activities without necessary involving government. “But this of course would take time as a transitional period would need to be observed,” he said. Speaking at the same event Barclays Bank of Botswana Head of Corporate Affairs, Esther Norris said the cancellation of the show is a good time for farmers to approach financers and prepare well in advance for the next one slated for July 2011.
