17 Nov 2014

The acting principal of Botswana College of Agriculture (BCA), Dr Mataba Tapela says his institution is ready to roll out and transform into a fully-fledged university of agriculture and natural resources by 2016.

Speaking at a ceremony to welcome back their minister, Mr Christian Degraaff, in Gaborone on November 13,  Dr Tapela said the ministry’s leadership had fully embraced the idea.

Dr Tapela noted that without need for much persuasion, they saw an opportunity not only to transform the college but also to redefine Botswana’s agriculture through skilled manpower and innovative research.

He told different stakeholders, among them parastatals, the Minister of Presidential Affairs and Public Administration Mr Shaw Kgathi, the Minister of Infrastructure, Science and Technology Mr Nonofo Molefhi, and MP for Serowe North Mr Kgotla Autlwetse, that since the establishment of the college in 1967 it has become a strategic institution in ensuring food security for the nation.

Dr Tapela said the college had since grown over the years to match the national needs in agricultural human resource development by introducing diploma programmes in 1981, degree programmes in 1988, and post graduate training in 2007. 

To date the college offers Higher Diploma, nine first degree, four Masters Degree and two PhD programmes. 

In 1991 the college became an associate institute of the University of Botswana (UB) through Parliament Act No. 9 of 1991, which meant that the college offers training at BCA and the qualifications are awarded by UB. However, Dr Tapela said this initial justification has since fallen off.

BCA has about 1400 students with 103 academic staff members (64 with PhD and 36 with MSc) who are trained in different areas of agriculture and natural resources management. 

The apparently excited Tapela boasted that the staff had acquired considerable experience required to run an autonomous institution. 

Meanwhile he hailed Minister De Graaff and former assistant minister of agriculture Mr Oreeditse Molebatsi, who was being bid farewell at the same occasion, for having supported the initiative to transform the college into a university which was approved by the government on August 27, 2013.

A draft Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources Bill is ready for Parliament consideration for approval and at the same time the college has prepared a transitional plan that outlines the structure of the new university as well as tasks and activities that will be followed to efficiently and impeccably implement the transformation. 

In addition, the university’s budget for 2015/16 has also been submitted to the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning for consideration. 

The new university has the objectives to; increase the diversity of academic programmes offered at the institution by training in new focus areas such as natural resources, rural development and agri-business; increase access to tertiary education and contribution to national human resource development and provide cost effective local training opportunities.

Other objectives are to contribute towards government development initiatives on food security, poverty eradication, and rural development and also become an institution of choice for training and innovative research on agriculture and natural resources (technology development).

Speaking at the same occasion, Mr Molebatsi said the ministry should focus its attention on diary production as the country still imports a lot of milk.  He however said he was happy that the ministry had bought Sussex semen to cross breed indigenous cattle so they produce more milk. 

He also encouraged the incoming assistant minister Mr Patrick Ralotsia to work closely with the minister so that they could achieve their mandate.  

For his part, minister De Graaff praised Mr Molebatsi saying, through him, they were able to improve their ministerial performance from eight to number six and also increase cereal output through “Lemang ka ditselana”. He said they intended to expand agricultural production from various government schemes. ENDS