Download Lotsane Dam Project Second Project Steering Committee Meeting

WATER FOR THE PEOPLE AND
DEVELOPMENT
“WATER FOR AGRICULTURAL USE”
Presented by: OBADIA BAOLIKI
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE
VENUE : SELIBE PHIKWE
DATE: 09 JUNE 2011
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AGRICULTURE
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Agriculture accounts for about 2.3% of Gross Domestic Product
(GDP)
Food self sufficiency is 20%
Livestock sub-sector contributes 80% (3 million cattle) and 20% is
arable agriculture and horticultural.
WATER
Water is essential to all life – human, animal,, and plant.
It is therefore important that adequate supplies of
water be developed to sustain such life. Development of
water supplies should, however, be undertaken in such a
way as to preserve the hydrological balance and the
biological functions of all ecosystems. This is crucial for
marginal lands.
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Agricultural Water Development
MoA has established Agricultural Engineering
Division responsible for the provision of
agricultural water and irrigation services. Services
provided include construction of earth dams for
livestock and irrigation purposes.
 rehabilitation of hand-dug wells.
 The division is guided in its operations by
Agricultural Water Development Policy
Implementation Guidelines of 1974 ,reviewed in
1994
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Provision of water is primarily targeted at
groups of small farmers who cannot
otherwise afford their own water sources
Current Developments
The section has constructed
over 250 dams and
rehabilitated over 200 hand
dug wells in Botswana along
the hardveld.
 Innovative technologies and
researches about rainwater
harvesting are ongoing.
Bonwakatlhako Dam
Location;Palapye
Capacity: 2.9 millon m3
NAMPAADD IRRIGATION
PROJECT AT DIKABEYA
FARMER EXTRACTING WATER
FROM A WELL
Agricultural water and NDP 10
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Irrigation schemes will be established at
Lotsane and Thune dams,Francistown,
Tonota, Palapye, and Ghanzi using recycled
effluent water.
Agricultural water and NDP 10
These projects are of significance for the
diversification of economy, poverty
alleviation and participation of the private
sector.
 Use of irrigation will reduce the
importation of horticultural produce
which is currently about 60 percent
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Zambezi Project
The Zambezi Integrated Agro-commercial
project will develop infrastructure to
convey water and for a settlement to
accommodate those participating in
farming.
 Government has applied to draw 495
millon m3 per annum of water from the
Chobe river. This water will irrigate 40
000 hectares.
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Challenges
Water shortages affects agriculture
significantly , as all agricultural products
need water for their production.Most of
the water used for agricultural purposes
in Botswana is underground water
compared to surface water.
 Underground water is expensive to use
because inputs used to construct water
sources and extract water are expensive.
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THANK
YOU