14 Aug 2019

Government is reviewing the National Policy on Agricultural Development (NPAD) to provide clear and comprehensive policy guidance in agricultural development, sys deputy permanent secretary in the Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food Security, Mr Thabang Botshoma.

Speaking at the country’s preparation of the National Agricultural Investment Plan (NAIP) in Gaborone, Mr Botshoma said the policy provided direction and guidelines towards challenges in the agricultural sector and increasing production and productivity.

He said the NPAD was aligned to Vision 2036 and NDP 11.

Mr Botshoma said the policy sets up the agricultural agenda by providing guidance through a process by which an individual farm or household could shift progressively from subsistence oriented-production towards more specialised market-oriented production.

Giving presentation on the public resource allocation, national consultant, Dr Howard Sigwele, said of the P101 billion that was allocated to the total development budget for the lifespan of National Development Plan 11 (2017-2023), Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food Security had been allocated about 5.52 per cent.

“It is evident from the public resource allocation during the current plan that the agricultural sector is not among the top priority areas unlike the initial years of independence,” said Sigwele. Dr Sigwele said the sector, however, still had a critical role to play in the three main thematic aof economy and employment, sustainable environment and social upliftment through its various linkages.

According to Dr Sigwele, with sustained public and private sector investment in the agricultural sector, there were  several opportunities to grow the industry and contribute to food security, employment creation, hunger and poverty reduction and an increase in the sector’s GDP and productivity. 

“In addition to replacing imports, there is potential to produce certain commodities for exports such as live animals, meat, fresh produce (horticulture, fish), agro-chemicals and equipment,” he said. Ends