16 Jan 2020

The Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry is reviewing Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA) loan processes.

Moshupa-Manyana MP, Mr Karabo Gare, said this when addressing a kgotla meeting in Manyana recently.

“We are striving towards ensuring that prospective businesses which have the capacity of revitalising the economy are funded, with the aim of creating employment,” he said.

Mr Gare, also Assistant Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry,  said in the past, potential businesses did not benefit from the fund because they failed to fulfil requirements that came with securing funds.

The legislator indicated that the ministry intended to look at providing funds to meet pre-submission facilitation funds, which often made it difficult for people to apply for the loan.

Mr Gare said the funds would be channeled towards project facilitation to enable people to conduct plans, environmental impact assessment and bills of quantities.

He cited agriculture as one of the sectors that had potential to create jobs.

Therefore, he said, there was need to consider value chain processes aimed at enhancing the sector.

Mr Gare said agriculture was making an important contribution to employment creation, but added that there was need for transformation to deal with challenges experienced in the sector.

He further noted that every year government channeled about P1 billion to Integrated Support Programme for Arable Agricultural Development (ISPAAD) to address challenges such as poor technology and low productivity.

Mr Gare said in the Southern District, P46 million was allocated to ISPAAD every year, but had over the years yielded unsatisfactory returns, hence the need for government to find better ways of doing things.

He said this called for government to consider other programmes such as hydroponics.

“Achieving food security is crucial for the country’s stableness, as countries facing food crisis can face bad impact on the economy, which makes ensuring food security a global challenge,” he said.

He said about P7 745 billion was spent in the country’s import bill, with more spent only on food.

He said most of the goods were imported, hence the need to attract more people to venture into businesses with the aim of reducing the import bill.

“In vegetable production, Botswana produces 63 000 tonnes against the 112 000 which is needed. We believe there is need to attract more youth to venture into farming, but we can only achieve that through the provision of infrastructure for ease of doing business,” he said.

The assistant minister further said government remained committed towards using government power to boost businesses through the Economic Diversification Drive (EDD).

Mr Gare said, although the principle was not adequately practiced, plans were underway to ensure that the policy was now turned into a law that would compel all to abide and further take action against those who contravened it.

In his remarks, Kgosi Kebinatshwene Mosielele thanked the MP for his visit.

He said Manyana did not experience high civil cases, adding that they had previously advocated against abuse of women and children.

Kgosi Mosielele  implored the residents to plough in high numbers and report any livestock found damaging their fields. ENDS