08 Nov 2022

The just-ended Global Expo Botswana which had been hailed as a success has opened collaboration opportunities for local small medium micro enterprises (SMMEs).

The local entrepreneurs were provided with a platform to secure mutual business joint venture opportunities with other business persons from other countries.

The Global Expo Botswana attracted 200 exhibitors from Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, South Africa, Namibia, Indonesia, Kenya, Lesotho, Eswatini among others.

Lefakong Farming, a South African farm entity in the North West province, which specializes in producing and processing Moringa leaves and organic products, is one entity that seized the opportunity to collaborate with the local SMMEs.

In an interview with the chief executive officer and founder of Lefakong Farming, Ms Maboang Matlou said she was excited to have participated in the Global Expo Botswana as it afforded her an opportunity to network and explore partnerships in the country.

Ms Matlou said Lefakong Farming was established in 2015 and focused on cash crops, piggery and broilers but shifted to Moringa when the avian flu hit the country.

She also expressed interest and purpose to expand her business in Botswana with the local farmers particularly women and youth.

Ms Matlou, a first time exhibitor at the Global Expo Botswana said the Expo helped her as she managed to engage with relevant local business people.

She said at Lefakong they do a whole value chain from farming to packaging of Moringa leaves, adding that there was room for everyone eager to be a part of their family.

“There is a great deal of expansion in Botswana in terms of agriculture diversification. Botswana is known mostly for livestock and minerals, and bringing a commodity like Moringa to collaborate will bring something different to the economic status of communities,” Ms Matlou said.

Also President of Moringa Development Association of South Africa, Ms Matlou said their expansion interest to Botswana was advised by the regional trade agreements that Botswana has.

She said an establishment in Botswana would enable regional export of the products to targeted countries.

“Thus why we are looking at collaborating with like-minded people here in Botswana not only in the farming space but also in the agro processing where we can do the whole value chain like we are doing in South Africa,” added Ms Matlou.

Government recently imposed a ban on agricultural produce from South Africa, with intent to protect local farmers, improve Botswana’s food security and reduce the country’s import bill and grow local production.

Although some farmers in South Africa did not receive the move well, Ms Matlou saw it as a challenge and an opportunity to expand her farming business in Botswana.

“With government’s objective of localizing agricultural produce, for us at Lefakong Farming, it is a perfect opportunity to come in as a farmer and an agro processor and manufacturer to form partnerships locally, grow and develop farming in Botswana in that space,” said Ms Matlou.

As a female farmer, conversant in her space along the lines of data, skills and knowledge, agro processing and value adding of moringa,

Ms Matlou said she would like to work and partner with women and youth, noting that similarly with South Africa, women were often left behind especially in skills development, even though they were the ones who work on farms.

“We need to develop our women and youth and empower them,” Ms Matlou noted that her partnership would purposely be about skills development.

She further explained that would enable women and youth to be part of the economic inclusion as well as assist in alleviating poverty in Botswana.

Passionate with developing farming and agriculture, Ms Matlou noted that to be part of the digitalization globe, they came up with a Moringa App for Moringa farmers.

The application, she said would assist farmers who wish to venture into Moringa farming with guidelines, such as soil types and climate suitable for Moringa farming and how to control pests.

“The app is an exciting development for us farmers of Moringa. But digitalization in the farming space is difficult and expensive because there has to be a lot of research done,” Ms Matlou said adding that the technology had to be simpler to use.
An employer of 25, mostly women and youth, Lefakong Farming produces Moringa powder, capsules, infused honey, seasoning salt, tea bags as well as gin beverage known as MorGin.ENDS