Time ripe to combat drought
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Driving across some parts of the country, particularly the southern part, one is greeted by withered crops in our fields. You are forced to digest the bitter fact that the majority, if not all of these fields that have become literally cemeteries of dead crops were ploughed using government or taxpayer's money. Surely it is high time we came up with better strategies to combat these perennial and crippling droughts.
First, it has been established, empirically, that maize is easily affected by water shortages or high temperatures that we are witnessing in this country. Secondly, it is a known fact that sorghum has the capacity to withstand dry conditions and high temperatures. Therefore, government departments such as the Meteorological Services Department and the Department of Crop Production at the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) must come up with a comprehensive strategy or system on information sharing.
These roads, which are vital conduits for trade and tourism, have long been in dire need of repair. However, while this development is undoubtedly a positive step, it also raises questions about broader issues of infrastructural management and road safety that deserve closer scrutiny.The A3 and A33 roads are not just any roads, they are critical arteries that connect Botswana to its neighbours and facilitate the movement of goods and people...