12 Oct 2023

Knowledge and technology bring income and are major contributors to economic growth. 

It is therefore important that Batswana apply these to improve own livelihoods and as the country tries to diversify its economy.

Minister of Communications, Knowledge and technology, Mr Thulagano Segokgo said this here, Wednesday during a kgotla meeting at which he was briefing the community on the mandate and services offered by his ministry. 

He said it was critical that citizens partnered with the government in its efforts to diversify the economy. 

Mr Segokgo who explained his ministry’s mandate was to provide leadership on issues touching on communication, knowledge utilisation, research, science and technology, hence the meeting, said Botswana’s economy had mainly depended on mining, but now government sought to diversify it by building one that was supported by knowledge. 

Mr Segokgo gave as an example, the production of Foot and Mouth Disease vaccine as well as the expertise to test for the disease as proof of how beneficial knowledge could be, adding that the vaccine generated income for the country through its sale to others. 

“We sell these to other countries and that is using knowledge to trade, that is what President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi is appealing for,” he said. Minister Segokgo therefore advised Batswana to also use indigenous knowledge to better their lives. We have different plants that were used for medical purposes such as ‘go baya bana diphogwana’ and that is the knowledge you have to use to make an income,” he said. 

He explained that government was determined to assist Batswana to use such knowledge to make a living, adding funding was available to ensure development of viable ideas. 

Mr Segokgo said embracing and effectively utilising technology was also key to turning knowledge into various products and services. 

The minister said Botswana Fibre Networks (BOFINET), a parastatal under his ministry, had installed fibre cables around the country to ensure fast and quality internet connectivity, so that Batswana could be able trade with knowledge. 

He said Batswana would be able to trade with the entire world from the comfort of their homes or offices, adding that learning would also improve as students would enjoy easier access to information. 

Batswana, he said were now able to access different services from where they were, rather than travelling long distances to get such. 

However, the minister advised against misuse of the technology such as for criminal activities, imploring individuals to partner with government to ensure that it was used wisely. 

While they thanked the minister for information on the services offered by the Ministry of Communications, Knowledge and Technology, resident expressed concerns about the various ills that technology often brought about.

Ms Lephutshi Baaruta and Mr Victor Watshipi cited cyber security as one aspect that citizens should be guaranteed of and said cyber bullying and related criminal activities should be prevented. 

Ms Baaruta thanked government for its digitalisation drive, adding that ease of access to the internet was a platform for personal development among the many benefits that it offered. 

She said it also placed information at students’ fingertips, enhancing their learning experiences.

For his part, Jwaneng court president, Kgosi Segale Letshele thanked the community for attending the meeting in large numbers, saying decisions were made in such platforms, hence the need for their presence. 

He further appealed to the community to embrace mindset change to ensure the country attained its goals. Ends