24 Mar 2015

Construction of dams such as Dikgatlhong and Thune in eastern Botswana, has not only boosted agriculture but created fishing opportunities for people living in the vicinity of the dams as well.

The residents are expected to engage in subsistence as well as commercial fishing to fight poverty besides creating employment opportunities as well.

In Robelela, which is located a stone throw away from Dikgatlhong Dam, the largest in the country with a holding capacity of 400 million cubic meters, eight people mostly unemployed youth, are running some fishing project under the poverty eradication programme.

 The introduction of the fishing component in the poverty eradication programme has brought hope and excitement for a better living in the area.  Senior wildlife warden, Mr Syria Molepo, says his department trained eight beneficiaries, seven males and one female, in August last year.

Mr Molepo says they were also given practical lessons on fishery techniques and gear technology. Thus, they were taught how to mount and mend nets, canoe or boat paddling, as well as net setting and retrieval. 

Further, they were trained in processing fish. Meanwhile, the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) has handed over fishing equipment worth P15 000 each to the eight beneficiaries. Each beneficiary was given a canoe and paddling equipment, life jacket, fishing nets, cooler box and table, among other things.

The beneficiaries were subsequently given practical lessons on how to navigate a canoe. One of the beneficiaries, 35-year old Mr Goitsemodimo Ramahateng, commended government for the poverty eradication programme. He said he would be able to raise funds to take care of his family and relatives. 

“Since there are no jobs in Robelela, I relied on Ipelegeng Programme to earn a living,” he said. Another beneficiary, 50-year old Ms Tshotlego Modibetsane who is the only female, also expressed gratitude for the good gesture from government. She said through the project, she would be able to take care of her nine children.

 Also, she said she would use the money from selling fish to build a house for her family, purchase some goats and poultry for rearing. “I already have big dreams which will take me and my family away from poverty and the fishing project will be a foundation to realise all these,” she said.

Kgosi, Mr Phillip Tamocha, said he was grateful that government, through the DWNP, initiated the fishing project in his village. He said the residents were very fortunate to have Dikgatlhong Dam.  “If eight people have benefitted from the fishing programme, that means eight families in Robelela will be uplifted from poverty. Also this means employment for other people in the village,” he said. 

Kgosi Tamocha expressed hope that the equipment would not be misused.  “All they have to do is harvest fish and sell since a market for the fish is already available in Robelela besides other places in the country,” he said.

 Meanwhile, handing over the equipment and certificates to beneficiaries, regional wildlife officer, Mrs Onalenna Kgathi, encouraged beneficiaries to make good use of the equipment to empower themselves and the community.

She explained that government invested a lot of money in the equipment hence it needed care.  She implored the beneficiaries to follow safety measures when mounting nets in the dam to avoid drowning. 

“You should always have your life jackets on at all times when in the water,” she advised.  Social and Community Development Officer, Mrs Segametsi Makgaphe, said beneficiaries were selected following a poverty assessment exercise.

She the beneficiaries were required to sign five-year contracts that they would abide by fishing and Dikgatlhong Dam regulations besides taking care of the equipment. DWNP will monitor progress and give guidance. After five years, it is expected that beneficiaries would be able to sustain themselves and diversify their business. ENDS