24 Mar 2019

Chobe MP, Mr Machana Shamukuni has implored Chobe residents to shift from agribusiness and tourism sectors and venture into manufacturing and Information Technology (ICT) markets.

Speaking at Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA) engagement day in Kazungula on March 23, Mr Shamukuni, who is also Assistant Minister for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration, said agribusiness and tourism sectors were dominant in the district, but that there were other unexploited markets such as manufacturing and ICT.

Mr Shamukuni said residents could take advantage of the tourism sector and engage in toiletry production such as soaps, shampoos and conditioners to supply the hospitality industry.

He said in the agriculture sector residents, especially the youth, could start agro-processing companies and take advantage of the produce from Pandamatenga.

He noted that since Pandamatenga produced beans, someone from Chobe could start a company and can the beans produced there.

The Chobe legislator further said even in the agribusiness there were still opportunities in fodder production and fish farming.

He urged all to take advantage of the opportunities offered by CEDA to create employment. He said with the current economic dynamics it had become imperative to create jobs and entrepreneurship was another avenue to secure ones livelihoods and create sustainable employment for others.

He said statistics showed that Chobe District, which has a population of about 27 000, has registered 354 enterprises, which was only 1.9 per cent of the business landscape. He also noted that it had 5 000 poor people.

He said government was committed to poverty eradication as a key aspect of rural development.

He noted that one of the challenges identified in the district was low uptake of modern technological methods of production, resulting in low production and the inability to penetrate and increase market share.

“Businesses, especially small scale ones, do not keep books of accounts and fail to separate family finances from business finances. Therefore business management and marketing skills need to be enhanced for up scaling of businesses,” he said.

He said there was need to nurture a culture of perseverance and fortitude when it came to businesses.

Earlier CEDA CEO, Mr Thabo Thamane said P415 million was invested by his institution in the Chobe District.

He elaborated that P271 million was in the agricultural sector in Pandamatenga, P21.2 million in tourism and the remaining amount in other sectors.

Mr Thamane said since the manufacturing sector had the lowest share, people should utilise social media to do research for business opportunities in the sector.

He said Batswana should not enjoy to be spectators in the economy of their country.

He said while CEDA existed to tilt the business landscape in favour of citizens through facilitation, patience and restructuring, entrepreneurs should also put their worth in the output.

He said Batswana should not depend on government for job creation but should also, through the help of CEDA, help create jobs.

Mr Thamane further said CEDA realised that people failed to go for enquiries at their offices and depended on hearsay.

He added that they had decided to bring information to them through the engagement day.

“We want Batswana to get information and make informed choices,” he said.

Still at the event, Mr Thamane announced that the traditional groups, Tse Tilodi and Chaakonchaako would each get P20 000 to help acquire what they needed through CEDA’s Corporate Social Responsibility initiative.

Botswana Unified Revenue Service (BURS) official, Mr Leonard Motlhabi urged entrepreneurs to voluntarily comply with tax requirements in order to avoid enforcement.

Other organisations that availed their services at the event were Companies and Intellectual Property Authority (CIPA), Local Enterprise Authority (LEA), Competition Authority (CA), Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO), Botswana Bureau of Standards (BOBS), Botswana Development Corporation (BDC), Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board (BAMB), Selebi Phikwe Economic Diversification Unit (SPEDU), Chobe Land Board, ministries of investment, trade and industry and that of agricultural development and food security. ENDS