27 Apr 2023

Agriculture remains a key sector for economic diversification in the SPEDU region hence the need to equip farmers with knowledge to help them grow the sector.

This was said by SPEDU’s strategic projects acting director, Mr Maiba Samunzala at the start of a capacity building workshop for farmers in the agriculture sector held in Selebi Phikwe on Tuesday.

The workshop, organised by SPEDU, in partnership with Botswana Agricultural Sciences Professionals Association (BASPA) aimed to train clusters and groups in the agriculture sector in a bid to grow and develop the sector.

The workshop received funding of P100 000 and P110 000 from the French Embassy and New Zealand High Commission respectively.

Mr Samunzala explained that SPEDU and BASPA had signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2022 where the two would collaborate on agricultural trainings in the SPEDU region, capacity building as well as monitoring and evaluation of agricultural projects and offer impactful extension services to farmers.

He added that BASPA, which was accredited by Botswana Qualifications Authority, offered agricultural trainings to both farmers and extension officers.

“BASPA encouraged SPEDU to profile all its farmers in the SPEDU region to make it easier for them to know their challenges and achievements. SPEDU on the other hand would assist BASPA to undertake agricultural research and help them secure land for demonstrations,” he explained.

For his part, BASPA president, Mr Mbiganyi Taka said the association would also conduct trainings in Mmadinare and Bobonong areas in order to reach out to other farmers in the SPEDU region which covered five constituencies.

Mr Taka said trainings would be done in collaboration with other stakeholders such as Local Enterprise Authority (LEA) and farmers would be skilled on financial management in order to assist them to get funding from Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency and other financiers.

“Agriculture is a risky business but farmers would be taught how to minimise the risk to enable them to get better returns,” he added.

French Ambassador to Botswana, Mr Olivier Brochenin said he was happy to be working with BASPA, a relationship he added, was made possible by President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi’s visit to France where the agriculture ministries in both countries signed an agreement to exchange knowledge on agriculture.

“Supporting BASPA with P100 000 was another way of showing my country’s commitment to that agreement,” Mr Brochenin said.

That, he added, would not only help capacitate farmers but also go a long way to support women and girls to actively participate in agriculture to better their lives. ENDS