05 Sep 2023

Even though aquaculture is still in its infancy in Botswana, government is aware of the latent potential the industry holds in improving livelihoods and contributing to the national economy through food and nutrition security, income generation and wealth creation.

Officially opening the regional workshop on aquaculture private investments and governance in Sub-Saharan Africa in Gaborone on Monday, the Assistant Minister of Agriculture, Mr Molebatsi Molebatsi said aquaculture was a crucial sector that contributed more than half of fish consumed in the country.

“It also contributes to food and nutrition security, employment creation, income generation, wealth creation and to the wellbeing of livelihoods of many African countries, especially marginalised rural communities,” he said.

Mr Molebatsi said with the global human population estimated to increase to about 10 billion by 2050, thus increasing the demand gap for animal protein, aquaculture was the most viable sector to reduce or close the gap.

“Aquaculture is, therefore, one of the priority sectors in my ministry as evidenced by the development of Botswana National Aquaculture Strategy to guide the development of this important sector. 

This was followed by the development of the Aquatic Animal Health Strategy that addresses aquatic animal health and bio-security issues,” he said.

He said all these were in addition to other existing legislative frameworks at national and regional levels, which further complement continental ones. 

The development of such frameworks was in recognition of the fact that to have sustainable aquaculture growth, there was a need to put in place a legislative framework that guided the development of the industry.

Mr Molebatsi said for aquaculture growth and transformation to be realised, numerous obstacles should be overcome, among them inadequate finance, improper infrastructure and facilitates, lack of aquaculture knowledge, skills and technical know how as well as to develop fish value chain.

“Sustainable aquaculture development requires enabling policy environment, good infrastructure, proper planning, technical skills and know how, and financial resources, amongst others. To achieve all these, Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) play a very critical role, especially as enablers,” he advised.

Mr Molebatsi applauded the Food Agriculture Organization (FAO) for organising the workshop to discuss the status of aquaculture private investments in Sub-Saharan Africa, especially for small and medium-scale enterprises and the role PPPs could play and the governance of aquaculture in Africa.

“Comprehension of these issues will result in better advice being given to governments, investors and lending institutions on how to improve access to financial services. This will in turn lead to accelerated aquaculture growth that will significantly contribute to food and nutrition security, income generation, employment creation, wealth creation and improved livelihoods, especially of the marginalised and vulnerable rural communities,” he said. 

Aquaculture is the breeding, raising and harvesting of fish, shellfish and aquatic plants. ends