Francistown - Diocesan Farm
Brother Jan is a professional farmer. For many years he was successfully managing a large farming operation in Pieniezno in Poland.
Since 2009 he is working on the diocesan farm - a self-reliance project of the Vicariate of Francistow. The farm is about 2.500 ha and has the carrying capacity of about 200 cattle. For the first time in 2010 the project generated a profit.
There are some other animals on the farm: goats, sheep, free-ranging poultry, and occasionally some wild animals like impala, kudu and warthog.
Bro. Jan Potyka, svd
Born: 1962 in Poland
Final vows: 1987 in Poland
Arrived in Botswana: 2009
1987-2008 working in Poland

e-mail:
Telephone: (+267)
Mobile phone: (+267) 72 359 912
Brother Jan is known as a very hard worker and demanding manager.
His hard work slowly shows tangible results. He has many plans to improve the farm and to increase the small stock.
As a religious brother he provides a very important and so needed support structure for the Missionary Church.
It is more and more difficult to find men like him, ready to commit themselves to provide the manual service to the Society and Church.
The farm can make profit if the animals could be sold from time to time.
Brother Jan believes it is possible to produce about 50 animals for sale a year.
However, the farming operation must be done in a very professional way, according to the veterinary regulations and principles of the European Union.
It is possible that some of the beef produced by Bro. Jan will land on European tables.
That is why every animals must be marked, also electronically and registered.
The animals look well and reproduce.
There is a small water dam on the farm, collecting water during the rainy season. There are some other watering points for the animals.
The water is also extracted from the sand in the river flowing only for very short periods of time, sometimes for few hours. The sand however holds the water for many moths to come, during the long dry season.
Above, a water extraction point in the river sand. The small petrol engine pumps the water to the watering point for the animals.
The farm employs several workers, helping Brother Jan to operate the farm project.
Francistown