New cultivars could boost Botswana’s wheat crop

The Botswanan government was researching different wheat varieties to boost production in that country, according to the state-owned research entity, the National Agricultural Research and Development Institute (NARDI).

A recent study published by Tridge, an international business consultancy firm, showed that Botswana’s farmers were struggling to meet demand for wheat in the country, a development that raised the potential for the country to work towards boosting production through various interventions.

The study revealed that between 2009 and 2017, Botswana imported 100% of all wheat consumed in the country as no wheat was produced locally during that period. In 2018, farmers in the country produced around 1 000t of wheat, which declined to 377t in 2019.

The latest statistics, however, indicated that local production in 2020 had bounced back to around 1 000t.

In an effort to increase wheat production from Pandamatenga and Tuli Block, the government was hoping to introduce improved dryland seed varieties. According to various sources, wheat farming in the country started in Tuli Block a few years ago, but this was under irrigation.

Some wheat production was also ongoing in the Pandamatenga region, but also under irrigation.

In a recent update, the NARDI confirmed that its researchers had started conducting new research into wheat varieties, in an effort to identify cultivars with potential to grow under Botswanan farming conditions. The aim of this project was to increase wheat production in the country to ultimately reduce the country’s reliance on imports. The NARDI stated that dryland wheat farmers in the country were struggling to improve production and meet demand as they faced a number of challenges such as higher temperatures, drought, and pests and diseases.

“When these challenges are solved through the ongoing study and wheat seed breeding, dryland wheat production in the country could expand,” NARDI said.

Kabo Bowe, a crop production officer at the Ministry of Agriculture, said that major challenges faced by wheat farmers in Botswana included unfavourable weather conditions and the unavailability of suitable seed varieties that produced high yields under difficult conditions.

“[Some other] challenges that negatively affect wheat farming in the country are unreliable rainfall, frost damage and a shortage of appropriate wheat varieties on the Botswanan market,” she said. –

BOTSWANA’S WHEAT FARMERS FACE CHALLENGES SUCH AS FROST DAMAGE AND UNRELIABLE RAINFALL