20 Jun 2023

Agriculture has been described as a key sector of the economy, which Batswana should take seriously for their personal benefit, as well as the nation’s strategic interest.

Officiating at the Nata/Gweta Block Beef Producers Association field day on Saturday, Private Secretary to the Vice President, Mr Moses Boile, implored farmers to be aware of their significance in the country’s economy.

Mr Boile reminded his audience that previously, households produced their own food, and many people made a decent living from agriculture, something which changed with the modern economic setup as people turned towards imported goods. He noted that this change impacted negatively on the economy, and also killed the spirit of self-reliance as Batswana relied more on goods from other countries.

Mr Boile said it was not too late to reverse the trend and make Botswana self-sufficient. 

He encouraged farmers to augment government’s efforts through different policies and programmes to improve the sector.

“Let us stand together to revive this sector for it can provide opportunities for employment, sustain families and boost the economy,” he said.

He commended the association for its resilience since it was formed in 2013, and congratulated its members for the commitment to contribute towards Botswana’s agriculture, as well as registering a lot of achievements without outside assistance. 

Among the achievements, Mr Boile noted the fencing of an 18-hactre piece of land. 

He said such was commendable given that in most areas, there was reluctance to cooperate for a common purpose, with people rather choosing to work as individuals. 

The association’s chairperson Mr Gosata Mosweu explained that their association was made up of both communal and ranch farmers with emphasis on beef production in the Nata/Gweta constituency. 

He pointed out that with 80 000 cattle in the area, their key objective was to revive the beef industry in the region, adding that most of their members were pensioners, and they wish to see more young farmers come on board to take the organisation’s vision forward. 

He highlighted that through support from government, their area had been upgraded to a green zone. ENDs