21 Mar 2024

SPEDU area offers vast opportunities in the agribusiness, manufacturing, tourism and services sectors and has the potential to produce big industries which would in turn alleviate unemployment and poverty.

It was on such a backdrop that the President, Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi, encouraged all buyers to believe in local products and buy locally produced goods and services. President Masisi was speaking at the #PushaBW Selebi Phikwe Expo held at the Sam Sono Stadium yesterday.

“An interesting factor about SPEDU region is that the area is surrounded by many agribusiness opportunities, with enough water underground and in the four dams of Dikgatlhong, Letsibogo, Thune and Lotsane. These resources bring about many opportunities including dam-based tourism opportunities and fish farming,” he said.

President Masisi said government recognised that efforts to industrialise cannot succeed without enhanced access to both local and external markets.

“It is for this reason that we found it necessary to invite the private and public sector buyers to be present today to interact and guide you on what it takes to procure from you,” he said.

The initiative was part of the ongoing #PushaBW campaign that promoted procurement of locally manufactured goods and services.

“I will be more delighted if I could witness the signing of an agreement between one of the exhibitors and a retailer or manufacturer,” he added.

 #PushaBW campaign is a national initiative aimed at encouraging and rallying Batswana to actively grow the local economy by supporting and buying locally made products, supporting local initiatives and using local services.

The campaign implored Batswana to empower, sustain and grow the country by consciously purchasing and using products made and grown in Botswana.

That, the President said, was at the heart of mindset change to identify with Botswana brands by consciously and systematically redirecting consumer behaviours and taking pride in the development of economic self-sufficiency.

Again, he said, the expo offered a great opportunity for Batswana to appreciate and explore businesses in Selebi Phikwe and surrounding areas, having attracted 60 exhibitors, with over 50 per cent of the businesses being Selebi Phikwe-based enterprises.

“I have further been briefed that most of your products meet market requirements you are supplying locally, including the private sector, mine and government,” he said.

He thanked all buyers and encouraged the rest to follow.

“I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the hard-working entrepreneurs of the SPEDU region for their resilience. I implore all of us to embrace, consistently prioritise Botswana by supporting home-grown brands. Rotlhe re tshwanetse ra PushaBW. Re Batswana mo Botswana, Botswana wa rona! A re chencheng! Re ipele ka dithoto le ditirelo tsa Batswana,” he said.

President Masisi said as part of developing value chains, government was facilitating the establishment of a horticulture market in collaboration with the private sector.

The market, he said, would enhance self-reliance, access, competitiveness and price stability, which would culminate in the promotion of wider citizen participation in the agro-business and associated value chains.

“We are no longer shipping our raw materials outside the borders of this economy but we are committed to adding value,” he said.

The #PushaBW Expo was a build-up to the official launch of the Selebi Phikwe Citrus fruits first harvest at Mannaesi Farm yesterday.

The farm or orchard is a landmark agri-business project that had been facilitated by government to set up in the SPEDU region.  President Masisi said the Selebi Phikwe Citrus project represented government’s commitment towards achieving an export-led growth, which was a key outcome in the national Vision 2036.

“This project is one of its kind not only for Botswana but for the whole of Sub-Saharan Africa. Selebi Phikwe Citrus brings alongside a lot of opportunities, which will further contribute to another key milestone of value chain development,” he said. Ends