16 Sep 2014

Botswana Young Farmers Association (BYF) chairperson, Mr Thebe Molefe has advised youth to venture into farming with a passion so that they can make an impact.

Speaking during BYF’s annual general meeting in Gaborone, Mr Molefe said farming was a long time business that made profit after some time; therefore getting in into it without passion could only cause stress and failure.

He encouraged youths to ensure that they created jobs for themselves by farming, adding that youth in Botswana were lucky to have a government that ensured that they get funding for their projects and guided them throughout the process to ensure that they did the right thing.

The association leader said youths who wanted to venture into farming and those already established had a lot of opportunities to create businesses for themselves.

He noted that last year Botswana signed a memorandum of understanding with Afro- Centric in Zambia to allow farmers as well as aspiring young farmers to go and start farming in Zambia and bring products to Botswana.

Mr Molefe said Zambia was blessed with farming because there is a lot of underground water in that countryand the soil and climate are good for farming too.

He said Zambia was a step ahead in farming and most countries buy farm products from the country; therefore making use of the agreement would help Botswana to stop importing farming products from other countries.

BYFA marketing officer, Mr Keletso Pule said youths had many opportunities to help them move forward with farming, adding that organisations like the Botswana National Youth Council and the Ministry of Agriculture supported them every way and ensured that they undergo training for the faring programme before getting funding for the business.

Mr Pule also said that the association was carrying out a pilot project for the youth club the aim of which is to start regional youth clubs across the country to ensure that they are able to address all issues affecting farmers in the country because as an association based in Gaborone they cannot address all issues in the country.

He said the youth clubs would focus on taking issues from regions and transferring them to the association and in turn seeing how they can address those issues.

Mr Pule further indicated that regional agricultural shows were not as active as they were before; as such the youth clubs would help revive them, adding that the youth clubs would also organise youth empowerment fair in the regions.

Even though the BYFA is doing its best to address young farmers, the association is faced with challenges such as low membership, lack of sponsorship to help address their needs, as well as low turnout by young farmers to showcase what they have.

Showcasing is also a way of marketing their products and services. Ends