Farmers from Botswana and other African countries gathered in Modipane for the first-ever inter regional agricultural symposium to discuss growth potential of the agricultural sector.
Held under the theme, 'Local wealth creation, Co-operatives, partnerships to reach national and international markets,' the symposium included a panel discussion where experts in various industries discussed the reality of climate change in the local agricultural sector.
A Climate Change Practitioner, Antoinette Moleele explained that from 2015, Botswana has experienced extreme heat waves and droughts. She noted that these droughts are now longer and more severe.
Moleele said that this problem is extending into other African countries that have historically had a better climate than Botswana. She said this is evidence of the impact of climate change.
Moleele said that historically, Batswana are a people that can adapt to the environment, which explains why they used things found in nature to build houses. She said this is a sustainability mindset that they carry.
She said the usage of cow dung in the building of houses traditionally reduced the methane released by cow dung into the atmosphere. Moleele urged attendees not to forget the indigenous knowledge that the country possesses when looking for solutions in the agricultural sector.
He said that more efforts should be done to educate local farmers on issues of climate change as the biggest solution that can be given is education as opposed to a once-off financial benefit or grant whilst people will still use farming tactics that are susceptible to climate change.
According to Managing Directors of Solar World Botswana, Pelontle Mmaphula one does not need to be a technocrat to realise that the extreme weather changes in Botswana are a sure sign of climate change.
She said that Botswana has experienced scarcity in water because it is a semi-arid country. Mmaphula said that the extreme heat affects farmers in a negative manner and they are helping farmers with irrigation water by supplying them with machinery that helps pump water from boreholes.
Mmaphula explained that farmers can no longer depend on rain-fed water that is why there is now a need for their services.
Mmaphula said that the nation is reliant on the tourism industry, which is also affected by climate change. She explained that the drought of the Thamalakane river not only affects the tourism industry but it also puts a dent on the fishery industry.
She said that it is alarming to have rivers in a landlocked country drying up like in Botswana. She said methods of coping are desperately needed to mitigate the challenge.
A student at Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (BUAN), Bonang Motlhabani said that climate change affects multiple sectors within the agricultural sector. He explained that in crop production it is hard for local farmers to adapt to the sudden changes that are happening.
Motlhabani added that as learners it is hard to find lasting solutions because climate change is an ever-changing problem, with weather cycles that are unpredictable. This challenge culminates in it being complicated for scientific solutions to be brought forward quickly.
At a basic level, Motlhabani said that solutions such as aquaponics and position farming are the systems that farmers can employ to help grow crops whilst facing challenges of climate change.
He explained that aquaponics and green houses are controlled areas where farmers can have control over the factors affecting their crop regardless of the weather outside.
Held under the theme, 'Local wealth creation, Co-operatives, partnerships to reach national and international markets,' the symposium included a panel discussion where experts in various industries discussed the reality of climate change in the local agricultural sector.
A Climate Change Practitioner, Antoinette Moleele explained that from 2015, Botswana has experienced extreme heat waves and droughts. She noted that these droughts are now longer and more severe.
Moleele said that this problem is extending into other African countries that have historically had a better climate than Botswana. She said this is evidence of the impact of climate change.
Moleele said that historically, Batswana are a people that can adapt to the environment, which explains why they used things found in nature to build houses. She said this is a sustainability mindset that they carry.
She said the usage of cow dung in the building of houses traditionally reduced the methane released by cow dung into the atmosphere. Moleele urged attendees not to forget the indigenous knowledge that the country possesses when looking for solutions in the agricultural sector.
He said that more efforts should be done to educate local farmers on issues of climate change as the biggest solution that can be given is education as opposed to a once-off financial benefit or grant whilst people will still use farming tactics that are susceptible to climate change.
According to Managing Directors of Solar World Botswana, Pelontle Mmaphula one does not need to be a technocrat to realise that the extreme weather changes in Botswana are a sure sign of climate change.
She said that Botswana has experienced scarcity in water because it is a semi-arid country. Mmaphula said that the extreme heat affects farmers in a negative manner and they are helping farmers with irrigation water by supplying them with machinery that helps pump water from boreholes.
Mmaphula explained that farmers can no longer depend on rain-fed water that is why there is now a need for their services.
Mmaphula said that the nation is reliant on the tourism industry, which is also affected by climate change. She explained that the drought of the Thamalakane river not only affects the tourism industry but it also puts a dent on the fishery industry.
She said that it is alarming to have rivers in a landlocked country drying up like in Botswana. She said methods of coping are desperately needed to mitigate the challenge.
A student at Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (BUAN), Bonang Motlhabani said that climate change affects multiple sectors within the agricultural sector. He explained that in crop production it is hard for local farmers to adapt to the sudden changes that are happening.
Motlhabani added that as learners it is hard to find lasting solutions because climate change is an ever-changing problem, with weather cycles that are unpredictable. This challenge culminates in it being complicated for scientific solutions to be brought forward quickly.
At a basic level, Motlhabani said that solutions such as aquaponics and position farming are the systems that farmers can employ to help grow crops whilst facing challenges of climate change.
He explained that aquaponics and green houses are controlled areas where farmers can have control over the factors affecting their crop regardless of the weather outside.
