27 Oct 2022

Rural development remains a government priority which requires the response of all stakeholders through seamless delivery of services, Vice President Slumber Tsogwane has said.

Addressing a Rural Development Council (RDC) meeting  in Gaborone on Wednesday, he called on stakeholders to improve and sustain rural livelihoods as well as to seek economic opportunities for  non-urban areas.

“Creating jobs in rural areas is also imperative,” said Mr Tsogwane. 

 He said the council’s mission was to support rural development initiatives such as funding community based projects and value chain development.

Of importance to the RDC, he said, was collective contribution to achieving the reset and transformation agendas.

 The vice president said through the council, it was expected that the ongoing rollout of village internet connectivity and government online services would positively impact service delivery.

He challenged RDC members to fully participate in the ongoing preparation of the transitional national development plan as the plan was the major driver of government’s service delivery efforts, particularly to rural communities.

The vice president reminded his audience that projects were expected to be completed by the next quarter.

 “I therefore urge implementing ministries to accelerate project implementation to benefit national development as well as rural development,” he said. 

The meeting’s agenda  included updates and progress reports on resolutions from previous meetings, BITC’s rural areas private sector investment initiatives, Business Botswana’s bridging the digital divide efforts for SMMEs, particularly in rural Botswana. 

In addition, RDC discussed ways of harnessing the Economic Inclusion Act and National Employment Policy to achieve the rural development goals.ENDS