07 Jul 2014

One day, 26-year-old Mr Kefilwe Abenne, of Serowe, nervously took a long and uncertain journey to the youth office to find out what he needed to do in order to become an accomplished farmer.

The main items of young Abenne’s agenda that day was to discuss farming business ideas such as how to secure the much touted youth development fund, and how to start up a business, particularly in farming.

Although he had grown up surrounded by peers who were driven by the desire to end up in white collar jobs, he was not moved because he knew he had had a different dream altogether. 

“I was optimistic that I would make it where many of the country’s youth had failed,” he told BOPA in an interview.

Mr Abenne’s subsequent visits to the Youth Office bore fruits as the young man was able to register a company, acquire funding to the tune of P100 000 under the Youth Development Fund in January this year, and put into practice the skills he had learnt from the youth office, coupled with his cattle post years as a herd boy.

“The fund was sufficient enough to buy me 20 female Tswana cattle and one bull,” he said, adding that at the cattle post, they used to practise mixed farming; that is livestock and arable farming; hence he wanted to continue with the tradition but on a larger enough scale to feed the nation.

At the youth offices he had been taught how to start up a business, how to apply for a youth fund, and how to fill in the complicated application forms, he said proudly.

“The difficult procedure of filling in the forms did not deter me one bit because I wanted to succeed by all means, and, during the process, I would visit the youth office every time I needed any clarification,” he said.

He proudly maintained that his absolute collaboration with youth officers, combined with sheer determination to become a world class entrepreneur made him overcome the obstacles associated with completing the necessary forms.

‘Kef Thuo Farm’, for this is the name of Mr Abenne’s company, is located outside Serowe at Lwale lands and the business supplies beef to local butcheries and cattle to emerging industries of a similar nature.

The young farmer further explained that his passion also was activated after he had realised that the rate of unemployment in the country which mostly affected young people, was soaring. 

“The rate of unemployment in Botswana is soaring although our government is doing everything in its power to remedy the situation.

 There is a growing paradigm shift from looking for employment to creating job opportunities,” he highlighted as he giggled, adding that his farm had created a job opportunity for one employee in his village.

Thus he said he has set himself a goal to be one of the contributors to the economy of this country by diversifying the economy with farming.

He added that he is a living testimony that the government of Botswana is doing all that is necessary to ensure that people’s living standards are improved. 

Highlighting the challenges he encountered at the start of business, he said the prices of cattle from other farmers were very high, as such; he searched thoroughly for the best prices.

“It is time for the youth to stand on their feet to utilise youth programmes because the government wants to change our livelihoods,” he said, adding that youth should open their eyes and scan the opportunities availed to them. Mr Abenne said he completed his Junior Certificate in 2004 and, unfortunately he did not make it to senior level or tertiary. 

But that did not mean the end of his future because there were many ways in which one could make a living, he noted.

Furthermore, he emphasised that in life one has to take risks in order to be on top of the situation, adding that the youth must not hesitate to consult with the relevant authorities in pursuit of their business ideas. Meanwhile, the young farmer dreams of cutting feeds costs by growing them himself. 

He says, for now he has applied for land that he will use to plant stock feeds.

He added that his gratitude goes to his family who supported him day and night all the way to his success. 

He could not forget his friend Mr Nonofo Botseka, who motivated and encouragements him all the time. ENDS