01 Sep 2020

Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (BUAN) supports business start-ups through a graduate entrepreneurship programme, which funds and incubates graduates of the university to operate commercial agricultural and natural resources projects  under the guidance and mentorship of  university academic and business projects.

Minister of Agricultural Development and Food Security Mr Karabo Gare  said this while responding to a question in Parliament on August 31.

He explained that the programme commenced in 2010 with six graduates, adding that since its inception 36 graduates had gone through the programme, partnering with the university in horticulture, piggery and poultry projects.

Minister Gare said the programme had been revised and remodeled to extend beyond the current 12-month period to three years, saying it was intended to absorb 100 graduates in 3 years, who would operate commercial businesses in partnership with the university.

He said in the past three years, 18 graduates had jointly completed 14 startup projects, indicating that in the horticultural sector, the programme trained graduates in marketing and linked them with retailers, institutions and hawkers.

In addition, he said the programme collaborated with Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board through contract farming facility.

Minister Gare also said plans were underway for the university to build experienced young farmers by providing them with land around the campus, where they would lead to processing, packaging and branding.

He said the target was to have 100 young farmers farming profitably in different agriculture disciplines in the next two years.

Moreover, he noted that the ministry was planning to extend the initiative with NAPRO in the Selebi Phikwe area.

He said total cash funding of the projects by the university was in excess of P3 million, which  included implements, land, utilities, accommodation and human capital.

Member of Parliament for Kanye North, Mr Thapelo Letsholo had asked the minister to elaborate on the number of start-ups each of the educational institutions collaborated with annually over the last three years to create new products and services. Ends