03 Mar 2020

The future of agriculture lies to a large extent in the exploration of agro-processing to transform the sector and improve food security, says Vice President, Mr Slumber Tsogwane.

Speaking at the commissioning  of BOKOMO Botswana refurbished milling plant in Gaborone yesterday, he said agricultural transformation would ensure the country had adequate food supply thereby reducing the import bill.

Mr Tsogwane said government’s goal of transforming Botswana from middle income to a high income economy was attainable through a proactive private sector involvement and collaboration approach.

Government, he said, was driven by a burning desire to provide an enabling environment allowing creative and innovative private sector participation.

It was paramount that the private sector was allowed space to take part in an all-inclusive, transformative and diversified economy that created jobs for citizens, he said.

He said job creation and notable contributions in the growth of the agricultural sector through upscaling the workforce and growing the economy were some endeavours that government wanted to see happen.

“Government has undertaken an initiative to encourage every sector of the economy to comprehensively explore and derive values for every process or activity to maximize the returns,” he said.

 He reiterated government’s support to facilitate value chains that created market share to various players in the agricultural sector.

The Vice President applauded BOKOMO Botswana for being alive to the need to complement government’s agricultural sector development efforts.

He also praised the company for committing to supporting local farmers by purchasing locally produced raw materials both directly and from Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board.

Such an initiative would create a much needed market for farmers and unlock economic activity in the agricultural value chain, he said.

The Vice President said the  ripple effects that BOKOMO’s investment  had on other businesses could not be underestimated as the company  supplied locally and also exported to neighbouring countries through small independent distributors. 

Mr Tsogwane said it was important for local operators to take advantage of opportunities presented by global value chains to diversify the economy.

 

He also advised them to strategically position themselves along value chains. ENDS