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Broccoli and Cauliflower Farming

Meeting Minutes: Broccoli and Cauliflower Farming

Date: June 14, 2025 Time: 8:16 PM CAT Location: Virtual Meeting

1. Welcome and Introductions

Speaker 1, Eric, welcomed everyone and facilitated introductions. Participants shared their backgrounds and expectations for the training. Key takeaways from introductions included:

Eric highlighted that attendees represented various major towns in Botswana, indicating widespread interest in agricultural knowledge. He also introduced himself as an agronomist with 28 years of experience in the agriculture sector across Southern, East, and West Africa. He is currently the Executive Director of the Farmers Association of Zambia, a voluntary position.

2. Training Focus: Broccoli, Cauliflower, and Ginger

Eric outlined the training’s focus on broccoli, cauliflower, and ginger, with primary attention given to the first two due to time constraints. Key topics to be covered include:

  • Soil preparation
  • Variety selection
  • Seasons
  • Climate-smart farming
  • Fertilizers
  • Markets and marketing

3. Importance of Vegetable Farming in Botswana

Eric emphasized the significant potential of vegetable farming in Botswana, noting that. Botswana recorded P12.5 million worth of Vegetable Imports in February 2025 according to the latest data from Statistics Botswana. He stressed that agriculture is a crucial undertaking and encouraged participants to actively engage in vegetable farming to capture this economic opportunity.

4. Soil Preparation

  • Land Acquisition: The first step is to acquire land, regardless of its current state (desert, abandoned, sandy, loamy).
  • Mentorship: A mentor is crucial for guiding farmers to make the land suitable for specific crops.
  • Soil Type: Broccoli and cauliflower thrive in stand-alone, loamy, or sandy-loamy soils.
  • pH Importance: Soil pH affects nutrient availability. Incorrect pH can lead to issues like unformed heads or discoloured leaves.
  • Ideal pH: For broccoli and cauliflower, the ideal pH range is 6.5 to 6.8.
  • Land Clearing: Clear the land of grass and, depending on soil type, prepare planting rows or beds.
  • Soil Amendments: Add lime if soil is acidic (as indicated by a soil test report).
  • Manure: Incorporate well-rotted manure.
  • Weed Control: Use a pre-emergent herbicide (non-selective) before transplanting to control stubborn grasses like “finger grass.”

5. Climate-Smart Farming and Digital Soil Testing

Eric introduced the concept of climate-smart farming, highlighting the benefits of digital soil testing:

  • Traditional vs. Digital: Traditional soil testing involves sending samples to a lab. Digital testing uses an app for on-site analysis.
  • Recommended App: “SAT2Farm” is available on Play Store for Android. iPhone users should contact Eric for the appropriate version.
  • Benefits of Digital Testing:
    • Measures soil pH and major nutrients (NPK).
    • Provides weather reports, including frost predictions, allowing farmers to take precautions.
    • Offers pest and disease surveillance for the specific environment.
    • Allows farmers to correct pH issues before planting.
    • Provides nutritional programs and fertilizer recommendations.
  • Cost: The service costs approximately P1000 in Botswana. Eric will guide users one-on-one on how to perform the test.

6. Variety Selection

  • Hybrid Varieties: Only hybrid varieties of cauliflower and broccoli are available.
  • Cauliflower Varieties:
    • Nevada F1: Smooth texture, matures in 70-80 days from transplanting. Ideal for winter production. Heads can weigh up to 1.2 kg. Excellent quality with white curds. Suitable for greenhouses if temperatures are not too hot.
    • Crystal Twister F1: Can sometimes be grown in summer, but temperature ranges are critical.
  • Broccoli Varieties:
    • Cigno: Matures in 50-60 days. Heads typically weigh 600g. Can be grown in summer. Suitable for both open markets and supermarkets.
    • Formoso: Similar specifications to Cigno.
  • Season Specificity: Emphasized the importance of choosing varieties suited to the correct season (winter variety for winter, summer variety for summer) to ensure proper head formation and colour.

7. Organic/Biological Farming

Eric introduced bio and organic fertilizers as part of climate-smart farming:

  • Biofertilizers: Contain living microorganisms that trap atmospheric nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) and make them available to plants. They can multiply root systems, allowing plants to absorb more nutrients even in poor soils.
  • Application: Can be applied at transplanting, germination, before flowering, or when plants are stressed.
  • Versatility: Can be used on almost all crops (vegetables, fruit crops, cereals, legumes).
  • Product Name: Eric will share the name of the recommended “Eco-friendly” biofertilizer in the group.
  • Other Bio-Products: Bio-fungicides and bio-insecticides are also available, offering natural control of fungal diseases and insects without immediate harvest restrictions.

8. Diseases and Insects

  • Impact: Diseases and insects can cause over 30% yield loss.
  • Common Diseases (Brassicas):
    • Black Rot: A major disease, especially during rainy seasons or high morning dew. Symptoms include V-shaped yellowing on leaves and rotting of heads and veins. Causes significant yield loss and high market prices when uncontrolled.
    • Powdery Mildew & Leaf Spots: Other common diseases.
  • Common Pests: Aphids were mentioned as a key pest.
  • Control: Control methods include both conventional and biological chemicals. Eric will share spray programs and chemical names in the group for attendees. He emphasized that programs will be tailored to specific farm needs.

9. Spacing and Plant Population

  • Inter-row Spacing: 60 cm (from one line to the other).
  • Intra-row Spacing: 30 cm (broccoli/cauliflower), 40 cm (if plants are larger).
  • Plant Population per Hectare: 35,000 to 40,000 plants.
  • Flexibility: Farmers can start with smaller numbers like 500 or 1000 plants.

10. Seed Prices (Pula)

  • Broccoli:
    • 1000 seeds: P500
    • 10,000 seeds: P2000
    • 500 seeds: P400
  • Formoso (Broccoli):
    • 500 seeds: P350
    • 10,000 seeds: P2000
    • 1000 seeds: P500
  • Other Packs: 250-seed packs are also available.
  • Consultation: Eric encouraged short, one-on-one consultations for detailed calculations on seed and fertilizer requirements based on target plant numbers.

11. Market and Marketing Prospects

  • High Demand: Broccoli and cauliflower are in high demand in Botswana, often selling at high prices (P30-P35 or even P40-P50 per head in chain stores/hawkers).
  • Profitability: Even at a farm gate price of P10-P15 per head, these crops are very profitable.
  • Example Profit: 1000 heads sold at P10 each yields P10,000 in 60-70 days.
  • Targeting Yield: To achieve a target of 1000 heads, plant slightly more (e.g., 1500 seedlings) to account for losses.
  • Timing: Time planting strategically to capitalize on periods of low market supply (e.g., during challenges like Black Rot in the rainy season). Greenhouse production can help manage temperature for off-season planting.