25 Oct 2017

 Members of Ntlo ya Dikgosi have been informed that NFTRC’s mandate is to develop food technologies using both agricultural produce and wild foods while working hand in hand with end users.

Addressing members of Ntlo ya Dikgosi who visited the centre on October 24, NFTRC senior research scientist, Mr Selalelo Mpotokwane said apart from conducting research and development for purposes of food products, the centre offered services aimed at industrial support, nutrition and food safety.

He revealed that with private clients, NFTRC tended to go beyond the initial training and answered the clients’ subsequent queries at no extra fee.

He noted that NFTRC has entered into licensing agreements with clients in cases where the organisation incured extensive research and development costs and wished to recoup them.

Mr Mpotokwane said NFTRC was the biggest commercialisation, and that they had NAPro in the area of fruit and vegetable processing.

He noted that NFTRC has established a vocational training programme to equip entrepreneurs with food and agro-processing skills using its research and development outputs.

He said the training facilities and training personnel have been accredited by Botswana Qualification Authority (BQA).

The courses are delivered by NFTRC’s research professionals and they include processing of meat products, processing of dairy products, processing of oilseeds (peanut butter and oil), processing of legumes and pulses and the  handling and processing of honey.

All food processing courses are conducted at NFTRC, and registration fee for each course is P2 000 per participant.

NFTRC board chairperson, Dr Keoagile Molapong thanked members of Ntlo ya Dikgosi for visiting NFTRC.

He stated that duties of Dikgosi had always remained that of promoting welfare of the community such as health, development projects and ensuring proper land usage and conservation of heritage sites.

He pointed that the Kgotla also served as a platform where government projects, program and dissemination of information took place.

He said what they were doing at Ntlo ya Dikgosi was in line with their mandate, which he said was clearly stated in the constitution of Botswana that they are an advisory body to the National Assembly as well as the Executive.

Dr Molapong said Dikgosi are the custodians of communities and expected to take the leading role in the implementation of the projects by mobilising people to get first-hand information regarding issues of human rights. ENDS