04 Nov 2013

As part of promoting social inclusion and empowering Batswana in rural dwellings, government continues to roll out amenities under its revised Remote Area Development Programme.

President Lt. General Seretse Khama Ian Khama said on November 4 in his State-of- the- Nation Address that, “Government provides livestock, basic shelter, economic empowerment projects, which include bakery, leatherwork, horticulture, sewing; communal farms and cooperatives.

He said a number of efforts to improve rural livelihoods were underway such as the resuscitation of the Zutshwa salt project, Mogobane irrigation scheme and the possibility of setting up of a small stock abattoir in the Kgalagadi region.

President Khama said, “As of September 2013 a total of 1 055 remote area community dwellers had been mobilised to be enrolled in the poverty eradication projects. Out of this number, 510 beneficiaries have been given agriculture related projects and 42 are engaged in alternative packages, while 503 are still to be given projects.”

He said the youth in remote communities are assisted in accessing education and seeking employment as part of government implementation of Remote Area Development Programme’s Affirmative Action.

As result, he said, about 1 211 Remote Area youth had been enrolled in tertiary institutions, while 360 formal employment jobs were offered over the past year.

The President said the Rural Development Council which was launched in January 2013 followed by RDC Pitso in May, adopted 18 resolutions aimed at improving rural livelihoods.Ends