24 Jun 2024

The Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA) has unveiled a P270 000 partnership with the Southern District Beef Farmers Association (SDBFA).

Speaking during association’s Field Day near Thankane on Saturday, CEDA Chief Executive Officer, Mr Thabo Thamane said the partnership, which would run for three years, was intended to capacitate the farmers and enhance their production. 

He said besides resource mobilisation and strategy development, the partnership would also broaden farmers’ engagement on the international market through stakeholder engagements and benchmarking from international partners.

He said the impact assessment between the two entities would contribute towards improving the processes engaged in their operations. 

“The partnership is not only about injecting funds into the association, we are going to have an assessment to gauge the impact made since the partnership started. We will have a feedback mechanism through which they give us feedback and we do likewise,” he said.

Additionally, Mr Thamane noted that they intended to devise a long-term plan to ensure there was return on investment. 

He said although they anticipated teething challenges, it was imperative to rise above the hurdles to achieve the intended objective. 

“We must rise above individualism and be a collective for the betterment of the nation,” he said.

He challenged farmers in the Southern District to strategise on how they could utilise available programmes and resources with bankable projects. 

He said the P35 million which his organisation had invested in various agricultural enterprises across the district was low considering the capability and potential of farmers.

He urged farmers to work hard to close the gap through innovative, sustainable and competitive projects.

The beef farmers association chairperson, Mr Mosimanegape Mophuting implored farmers to familiarise themselves with land use practices in order to guard against desertification. 

He also urged them to unite and share resources. 

“I am calling on you to check up on each other, we should know what each one of us has and see how we can help each other to enhance our farming,” he said.

He encouraged farmers to sell their cattle to Botswana Meat Commission, urging the commission to also pay farmers on time. ends