18 Oct 2022

The vegetables importation ban offers an opportunity for Batswana farmers to diversify into agro-processing, chief of staff, Mr Boyce Sebetela has said.

Presenting on the challenges and opportunities in Botswana’s structural environment at the ongoing National Business Conference in Francistown Mr Sebetela said there was potential for farmers to expand their value chain by diversifying to products such as potato purée, frozen potatoes as well as canned fruit and vegetables.

He said a lot of what was consumed locally was manufactured outside even though there were opportunities to do so in Botswana, urging Batswana to lock out of the phase where materials were exported raw and purchased back as fully fledged products.

Mr Sebetlela called for the strengthening of the value chain development in all sectors of the economy, including beef and diamonds, citing that a certain percentage of diamonds mined in Botswana could be cut and polished here.

He said the transformation of Botswana from middle to upper income could be achieved by reducing proportion of government’s recurrent budget, with funds which had hitherto been injected into daily operations being invested in infrastructure and long term investment.

Mr Sebetela said the aim of newly formed Ministry of Entrepreneurship was to discover serious businesses seekers and risk takers who would harness the many indigenous food plants and fruits from the environment such as phane, motlopi, tswii and transform them into high-end products.

He highlighted that there was potential in the manufacturing industry that could produce for SACU, Africa and the rest of the world.

Making contributions on the topic, FNBB Economist, Mr Gomolemo Basele said it was vital to start implementing structural reforms in order to cultivate Botswana to the year 2036.

This, he said, could be achieved through fiscal consolidation by accessing the expenditure from government, providing infrastructure, expanding road network and electricity.

Mr Basele highlighted the need for monitoring and evaluation of projects to ensure set targets for transformation and diversification were met.

He stressed the importance of unlocking growth in the manufacturing sector to propel Botswana to high-income economy, adding that agriculture also offered potential for diversification through value chain development for farmers to have their produce on shelves.

He said the vegetables importation ban was meant to enable market access for farmers so that their products would reach shelves, adding that the move had proved to be successful with a lot of future opportunities.  ENDS