11 Jul 2021

Batswana, have been challenged to venture into fertiliser manufacturing to reduce the import bill. 

Assistant Minister of Agricultural Development and Food Security, Ms Beauty Manake encouraged North East District farmers in a meeting she addressed in Francistown on Friday, reminding them that there was no fertiliser manufacturing plant in Botswana.

Most fertilisers, she said, were imported from South Africa. Ms Manake said Botswana had an abundance of raw materials that could be turned into fertilisers.

The minister also challenged farmers to partner with financial institutions such as National Development Bank (NDB), Botswana Development Corporation (BDC), and CEDA to borrow money and grow their businesses.

She said while the local market was limited, farmers themselves should play their part and be on the forefront in seeking markets across the borders while government facilitated such. “It is time you start penetrating the international market and grow your businesses,” she explained.

Ms Manake informed farmers that the import bill was high, citing that in 2019, the import bill was over P7.6 billion, which translated to over P600 million per month. The assistant minister, who was rounding up her countrywide tour of agricultural projects, said government had taken a decision to stop importation of goods that were abundantly produced locally.

Welcoming the assistant minister, North East District Agricultural Officer, Mr Gwilidzani Maposa said the district had projects of economic importance. He cited projects such as Francistown BMC, which would soon start to slaughter small stock for the Middle East markets, Impala Rural Training Centre, which would be a replicate of Lobu Ranch in the Kgalagadi District, as some of the projects that could grow the economy if well managed. 

Meanwhile, integrated farmer, Mr Andrew Selelo, who owns a six-hectare farm on the outskirts of Francistown, complained that government was not doing enough to facilitate international markets.

He said the main challenge for farmers was the limited local market and advised other farmers to diversify their farming to include horticulture, piggery, crop production, fodder production and  poultry.

Mr Selelo, who is also the chairperson of Tati Farmers Association, told the minister, during a tour of his farm, that he started from a humble beginning to become a master farmer. He also appealed to other farmers borrow money from financial institutions to grow their businesses.

However, he was concerned that some farmers who were assisted by these institutions failed to service their loans.

Mr Selelo’s farm, ANBO Farmers, produces and manufacture fodder, fruits and vegetables, and it has a fodder processing plant.

Still at the meeting, which was attended by financial institutions such as NDB and Botswana International Trade Centre, director of Investment Promotion, Mr Patrick Mosweu told farmers that an investor had been identified and soon he would start slaughtering small stock at the Francistown abattoir.

He said his plan was to slaughter 300 000 animals per month to supply the Middle East market. He therefore challenged farmers to venture into small stock production and sell their animals to BMC.

Mr Mosweu also appealed to farmers to form associations so that they could be assisted easily by financial institutions.

Also at the meeting was Special Economic Zone Authority, acting director - Policy and Planning,  Mr Jayson Sechele, who told farmers that Francistown was identified as a special economic zone for mining and logistics.

He explained that a seven-hectare land behind Phillip Matante International Airport had been allocated for the mega project. ENDS