22 Feb 2018

Ministry of Tertiary Education, Research, Science and Technology has foundational principles of collaboration, co-production and consuming. Minister of Tertiary Education, Research, Science and Technology, Dr Alfred Madigele said in Parliament that is was through these principles that the ministry coordinates collaboration between various research institutions and universities to develop nutritional products from naturally occurring veldt productions found throughout Botswana.

He said in the geographically similar regions of Western Ngwaketse, Western Kweneng, Kgalagadi South and North as well as parts of Ghanzi, a number of veldt products have been researched upon. 

Dr Madigele said products of interest are Morula for making products like jam, oil, juice, dried fruit and syrup, Kgengwe for making oil, juice vitamin C, A, B2 and syrup, Mahupu for making composite beef, and vegetables and Morama for making butter, cake for stock feed, milk, snacks and other high protein to supplement cereals. 

Dr Madigele further noted that local collaborators participating in this research include National Food Technology Research Centre, University of Botswana, Botswana International University of Science and Technology Botswana Innovation Hub and Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources. 

International collaborators include Universities of Namibia, Pretoria, Maribor in Slovania, Copenhagen in Denmark, Cornell University, Southern Africa Network for Bioscince, Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management, International Foundation for Research, Sweden and Council for Scientific and Industrial Research .

Dr Madigela said technology transfer continues to be done for local communities, small business and start-ups on processing and product development. 

He said prototypes have been developed and some of the products are available in the market at small to medium scale. 

He was answering MP for Jwaneng-Mabutsane, Mr Shawn Ntlhaile, who had asked the minister to state the steps he was taking to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to explore the possibility of developing natural products known to have high nutritious supplements by the Mabutsane Sub-district communities.Ends