Preparations are at an advanced stage for the national
agricultural show which will be held on August 27. The show will be officially
opened by the Managing Director of Stanbic Botswana, Leina Gabaraane.
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The theme for this year's show is 'Transforming
agriculture in the wake of climate change'.
Speaking in an interview, the Chief Agricultural Information and Public Relations Officer for the Ministry of Agriculture, Boikhutso Rabasha said they are working around the clock to prepare for the event.
Speaking in an interview, the Chief Agricultural Information and Public Relations Officer for the Ministry of Agriculture, Boikhutso Rabasha said they are working around the clock to prepare for the event.
For the first time, this year's show will be held at the
spacious new agricultural show ground which is located along the Sir Seretse
Khama Airport road. Rabasha said the animal kraals which were being
constructed at the show ground, are almost complete, adding that they are also
paving the site. She said the show will occupy nine hectares of the 81
hectares plot.
"We have built temporary kraals for small livestock like
pigs and goats," she said. She added that before the end of
this week, they anticipate to have set up the livestock judging ring, while the
perimeter fence surrounding the venue has also been erected.
She revealed that exhibitors will be farmers from all over
the country including both pastoral and arable farmers.
"We will also have exhibitors from the private sector," she said.
"We will also have exhibitors from the private sector," she said.
The official said they are working to reticulate water to the
showground as well as power. As for power, she said, they have taken
contingency measures in case Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) is not able to
connect electricity in time. She said they would have generators on stand
by. They also have partnerships with the Botswana Defence Force
(BDF) and Botswana Prisons, who will contribute with labour.
"We believe that everything will be in place on the
scheduled date. There are challenges here and there but we will deal with
them. The main challenge is water," she said. Rabasha
also commended the contribution of the private sector. She said there are
numerous companies who are sponsoring the event, adding that they are still
expecting more.
"We will host a ceremony next week to receive cheques
from the sponsors. We have approached quite a number of sponsors.
We are still appealing for more sponsors," she declared.
Rabasha said in future, they want to hand over the show to
farmers and the private sector, and have the ministry only provide technical
assistance.
This is the fourth time the ministry is organising the
agricultural show as a separate entity. In the past, the agricultural
exhibition was held as part of the Gaborone International Fair. Some of the
main attractions at the national agricultural show will be the inaugural horse
racing event.
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