25 Jun 2015

Dijong Farms and Fresh Produce managing director, Mr Phetogo Balepi, has urged young graduates to engage in agricultural business as a way of fighting the rising unemployment rate.

In an interview recently, Mr Balepi stated that there were many graduates in Botswana who were sitting at home or simply roaming the streets doing nothing whilst the agricultural sector presented massive opportunities for them to make a living by ploughing, horticulture or engaging in commercial livestock business.

“Graduates can group themselves according to their tertiary qualifications and embark on agricultural businesses which will in turn help them make a good living and create employment for their peers. There is serious money in agricultural business,” he said.

He also suggested that graduates could approach financial institutions like Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency, National Development Bank, ISPAAD and others for financial assistance as a stepping stone to a rewarding career in agriculture.

He noted that if many graduates could engage in this sector the issue of importing milk, fruit and vegetables, from neighbouring South Africa will be a thing of the past as our country will be self-sufficient.

He explained that the government has shown a lot of support to individuals who show interest in venturing into agriculture as it has been earmarked by the government as one of the sectors that have the potential to diversify the economy.

“The future of Botswana’s food security depends on our graduates engaging actively in agriculture and producing commercially for Batswana,” he said.

For her part Ms Theetso Kebuile who graduated from the Botswana College of Agriculture last year with a Degree in Animal Health Science, the idea of graduates venturing into the agricultural sector sounds mouth-watering but noted that the challenges proved unrealistic.

“Getting funding from entities like CEDA, for example, is a nightmare because they require one to have security in order to be funded. Land Boards are not forth-coming in terms of giving a huge chunk of land to a fresh graduate who is trying to start an agricultural business without security.

I think the legislation has to change here and there for us graduates to see that idea as viable.” she said. Ends