NARDI ENGAGES FARMERS IN TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT SUCCESSFULLY AT FARM WALK
On May 9, 2023, National Agricultural Research and development Institute (NARDI) held the Mmamanaka Farm Walk in Bobonong. The purpose of the farm walk was to showcase the ongoing innovative farming experiments and technologies at Mmamanaka experimental site to the farmers.
Professor Julius R. Atlhopheng, the Chief Executive Officer of NARDI, presided over the farm tour, which had as its theme “Involving Farmers in Agricultural Technology Development”. In his speech to the farmers, Professor Atlhopheng outlined the mission of NARDI, which is to conduct high-quality, innovative, needsbased, and technology transfer activities throughout the entire agricultural value chain for the benefit of consumers, farmers, industry, the government, and science.
He mentioned that one of the crucial methods NARDI use to interact with and involve critical stakeholders such as farmers in the technology development cycle is through farm walks. Professor Atlhopheng said that there are various challenges arising from climate change as well as the current global crisis, such as erratic and inadequate rainfall, poor soils, poverty, hunger, heat waves e.t.c hence the need to be pro-active in addressing these challenges holistically.
A list of farmer centric and needs driven research and development trials and experiments presented by different research Project Leaders during the farm walk included;
• the evaluation of rice varieties,
• response of common bean varieties to irrigation water levels,
• * DIVAGRI intercropping projects,
• intercropping, maize water use efficiency,
• cereal breeding-sorghum, millet and maize,
• seed increase of grain legumes,
• seed increase of oil seeds,
• intercropping (lablab & napier grass),
• evaluation of lucerne varieties,
• livestock feeds production (urea, silage & hay)
• napier grass production,
• seed increase of new tomato varieties,
• evaluation of citrus varieties and,
• evaluation of dates varieties.
Professor Atlhopheng emphasised the need to realise that new and efficient NARDI research and development technologies are essential to increasing the capabilities to achieve increased agricultural production and sustainable development. The walk was wrapped up with a palatability test of the tepary bean.
On the vote of thanks, Member of Parliament for Bobirwa Constituency, Honorable Taolo Lucas appreciated NARDI’s efforts of choosing Mmamanaka as an experimental site to come up with solutions that will not only benefit the people of Bobonong but the whole country as the country preaches “One Government, and shared equal opportunities”. He challenged NARDI to further research on combating army worm, birds and wildlife e.g baboons that consistently and hugely destroy the farmer’s produce.
Among the guests were
DIVAGRI representatives Dr
Ian Du Plooy and Dr Lothar to witness the progress of DIVAGRI technologies implementation in Botswana. Also present were Kgosi Phetogo Matlhodi, Deputy Council Chairman Mr Lucas Goitsemang, District Officer II (Administration) Ms. Motlhatlosi Tshoganetso, District Agricultural Cordinator’s office representative Ms Keakabetse Phalaagae, Motloutse Farmers Association and Lepokole Sorghum Farmers Association members.