28 Jul 2024

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi has donated 18-months-old Brahman bulls to Ms Susan Ramoswaane of Ghanzi South constituency and Mr Tlhatlogo Setima of Ghanzi North.

The two are the latest beneficiaries of President Masisi’s bull donation initiative whose objective is to encourage livestock farming among citizens.

The President donated to the duo on Friday during the official opening of the annual Ghanzi district agricultural show, where he emphasised his dedication to seeing agriculture contributing significantly to Botswana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

He highlighted the importance of transforming the sector to make it a sustainable appealing venture, especially for the youth.

“As we move towards attaining our aspirations espoused in Vision 2036, we should ensure that no one gets left behind. The national affluence that we are working towards should encompass us all, and these donations (of bulls) are one of the building blocks to that kind of life,” he said.

Ghanzi district agricultural coordinator, Dr Kefilwe Makgetho said Ms Ramoswaane started farming in 2017 with five cattle which due to good management practices had multiplied to 33 while the second beneficiary, Mr Setima was a youthful farmer who started cattle farming in 2020 with funding from the Youth Development Fund (YDF).

Dr Makgetho said the young farmer, who started with 25 cattle which included a bull, now had a herd totalling 53.

Grateful for having benefitted from the programme, Mr Setima promised that he would in future donate back to the bull donation initiative so that others could also benefit. Ms Ramoswaane on the one hand thanked President Masisi for not leaving women farmers behind, saying his commitment to women empowerment was undeniably heart-warming and encouraging.

Head of the National Planning Commission, Mr Christopher Molomo said in the quest to reach high-income status, Botswana would continue to push efforts to build an inclusive economy as spelt out in the national Vision 2036.

Mr Molomo said a National Transformation Strategy was formulated to address concerns that not enough was being done to edge Botswana forward in that respect as well as provide a guiding framework to the country’s development processes.

He said the strategy, a sector-based approach,  the purpose of which was to guide the implementation of Vision 2036, had identified agriculture among the sectors that could help Botswana realise her aspirations. 

“The year 2036 is approaching and this calls for each of us to contribute in our own little way,” he said. Ends