Young Pule takes on Agriculture

Ikelo Farm manager, Keletso Pule has always yearned to venture into agriculture and intends to be in it for life as he was driven by passion.

As a Marketing Officer for Botswana Young Farmers Association (BYFA), he envisions having his farm in future as a mentorship for upcoming farmers. It is BYFA objective to have young farmers mentored before they are funded. Himself, a beneficiary of Youth Development Fund (YDF) for production of small stock, he stated that the fund was a good initiative that will have its beneficiaries feed the nation and create employment. Ikelo farm is located at Dikhutsaneng lands, a few miles from Kumakwane. 

It is home to small stock and Tswana chickens. His small stock breed consists of commercial Tswana goats, Boer goats and blackhead Dorper sheep. His customers include butchery owners and start-up agriculture businesses.

“With agriculture, you cannot stop learning.  It is a continuous cycle and I cannot really say I have made it, I look up to many established farmers and I attend a lot of workshops and seminars in South Africa where I learnt a lot and even got certified as a junior judge for small stock,”Some of the challenges that he has encountered include lack of grazing, and that he has to do intensive feeding which costs money as feed is getting more expensive, as well as lack of commitment from herds boys.

Going forward, he explained that he intends to drill a borehole   so that he can grow his own feeds and have his animals drink from it.  Ikelo farm is located next to a hill which has a fountain within it, it has become a tourism attraction to tourists who hold their picnics and camps there.  His recent achievements include 3rd place at the recent national Youth Business Expo.