05 Apr 2016

Assistant Minister of Agriculture, Mr Kgotla Autlwetse has urged the youth to utilise government programmes to start sustainable projects that will benefit them and their families as well as contribute to the development of the country. 

Mr Autlwetse, who is also the Member of Parliament for Serowe North, was addressing a kgotla meeting at Gojwane on Thursday. He encouraged the youth to engage in blue collar businesses in fields dealing with electrical, mechanical, construction and agriculture, adding that there was need for such businesses and jobs in the market. 

Regarding agriculture, he said there was potential to make good business and encouraged the youth to engage in the production of cattle feed such as lab-lab. 

He also said they should engage in crop production to make money as the market was already available in the country such as Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board. 

He added that it was time for the youth to pull up their socks and take up projects that would help in the growth and development of the country. He noted that their parents and grandparents have done their part in developing the country to where it was today. 

Mr Autlwetse said the youth should utilise the education, knowledge and skills they have acquired to assist their elders to use methods that would bring sustainability and improve their production in either field crops or livestock farming. 

The assistant minister also urged the youth to desist from deviant behaviour such as alcohol and drug abuse as the move would push them to poverty. Rather, he said the youth should engage in sporting activities during their leisure time and to lead healthy and productive lives. 

He also donated soccer balls to the village football team. 

Mr Autlwetse encouraged residents of the village to utilise government programmes such as the poverty eradication programme to empower themselves. 

He commended those that benefitted from the programme and uplifted their lives, noting that their success was testimony to others. 

He said their success would encourage others to utilise the programme accordingly to empower themselves and move away from poverty and reliance on government hand-outs. 

On other issues, Mr Autlwetse said a road leading from Mabeleapodi to Serule was on the cards. 

He said research and investigations were still taking place to determine the route and cost of the road project. He added that the plan was for the project to commence by the end of the year. 

He said the road was meant to ease congestion along the A1 as people would be able to use the route from Gaborone via Molepolole, Serowe and finally to Serule to join the A1 road. 

He explained that the Serule, Tonota, Francistown road has been upgraded to cushion traffic on the A1 to the north. 

Meanwhile after the meeting, the assistant minister went on a tour of poverty eradication projects in the village to appreciate and witness the success beneficiaries have made. Ends