This contract facility appears to be beneficial to large scale farmers only. Most of our local producers cannot produce 200 bags. How do you cater for small scale farmers?
BAMB encourages farmers to form marketing groups and nominate a representative to sign a contract on their behalf. Most people are quick to point out that Batswana have failed to form clusters and this will not work out. If they want to succeed and capitalize on opportunities availed to them, farmers should learn to cooperate. Moroto wa o esi ga o ele. If farmers cannot form groups, then individual farmers must commit to work hard and produce the minimum 35 bags/ha yield that research has shown is attainable in our climatic conditions. This yield is achievable as we have seen farmers who produce under the same climatic conditions that we often complain about produce 40 to 60 bags/ha. With 5ha of land that an average Motswana has, 200 bags and even more is achievable. But it will obviously require more commitment than we see happening in most fields where farmers still broadcast, are resistant to using hybrid seeds, do not fertilize and weed their fields.