26 Mar 2014

The Ministry of Agriculture has involved Japan Tobacco regarding the research on a novel gene found and isolated from wild relative species of water melon commonly known as kgengwe in the Kgalagadi and Ghanzi regions.

Addressing a press conference in Gaborone on March 25, Minister Christiaan De Graaff said the licensing agreement was for Japan Tobacco to commercialise the technology only on monocots plants.

He said if Japan Tobacco  intended to use the technology for anything else not in the agreement, it would have to first seek authority from the Botswana government.

He said with particular reference to this agreement, the licensed technology was not going to be used to enhance the growing of tobacco even though the driving company was called Japan Tobacco.

Mr De Graaff explained that research on the watermelon was that its genes could be used to enhance the root systems of plants and hence improve the survival rate of crops in dry conditions like Botswana as well as increase the yields of crops such as maize, millet and rice.

The minister said researchers from his ministry in collaboration with those from Nara Institute of Science and Technology of Japan and Japan Tobacco were co-investors of the technology. He said Botswana stood to benefit a once off payment of US$20 000 including taxes and it will be paid in two installments.

He said a share of the net profits or royalties arising from the sale of the technology stood at 22.5 per cent being half of 45 per cent equally shared with Nara Institute of Science and Technology. On other issues, Minister De Graaff said 683 632 cattle had been ear tagged out of the targeted two million cattle.

He said the exercise was being introduced country wide, but was suspended temporarily due to recent heavy rains. About the Foot and Mouth Disease, the minister said his ministry continued to make progress in controlling the disease in all prone areas. ends