As part of its  future growth strategy, Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (BUAN) will develop model farms around Botswana in order to leverage technology and innovation to optimise food production.

The farms will not only serve as training facilities for the vocational Programmes being developed, but also as research sites in the quest to contribute to Botswana’s agricultural transformation

 This was said by the vice chancellor of BUAN, Professor Ketlhatlogile Mosepele while officiating at the Nlapkhwane Harvest Day on Wednesday, .

He said BUAN anticipated to be an active and dynamic player in the transformation of Botswana’s agriculture sector adding that this was the reason why they had been engaging stakeholders including farmers around the country to promote commitment towards Botswana’s development.

Prof. Mosepele said future plans for BUAN included development of satellite campuses around Botswana to primarily deliver vocational programmes in agriculture and natural resources.

“The aim of these is to upskill and retool our youth in food production systems, not only to mitigate against youth unemployment, but also to make Botswana food and nutrition secure,” he said adding that the campuses would be developed in the North, South, East, and West of Botswana based on the concept of centers of excellence.

Prof. Mosepele encouraged farmers to cultivate interest for agriculture on the youth and to transfer farming skills and knowledge to them so that their good work was sustained inter-generationally.

“Pass to them your indigenous knowledge while BUAN do the same with formal education.

He emphasised that traditional indigenous knowledge coupled with formal university education could produce formidable farmers who could facilitate agricultural transformation in Botswana, noting that this would be in perfect alignment with the Kampala Declaration.

Prof. Mosepele said some campuses would specialise in beef production, some in small-stock production and horticulture while others would specialise in cereals production.

In addition, he said BUAN’s future plan was to make agriculture more appealing and interesting to the youth and to also expand the value chain of their programmes in agriculture. However, he said they were currently actively undertaking a feasibility study to set up a School of Veterinary Medicine at BUAN and this would include programmes such as Agriculture Law, Dietetics and Human Nutrition and others. Coupled with this, the school would have allied programmes like Veterinary Nursing and Veterinary Pharmacology including other faculties.

On the other hand, Prof. Mosepele said government envisioned agriculture as the new diamond for Botswana noting that agriculture was seen as a transformational tool that would move the country from a mineral led economy to a more sustainable future premised on food and nutrition security.

He noted that every citizenry was challenged to contribute towards government’s vision that saw agriculture as key towards achieving food and nutrition security. Prof. Mosepele mentioned that  the President recently highlighted that agriculture contributed 40 per cent to the National Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at independence but currently, it had declined to two per cent which was a result of over dependence on diamond. 

He said Botswana was a signatory to the Kampala Declaration whose singular focus was to transform Africa’s food production systems and subsequently, Botswana’s intention was to increase agriculture’s contribution to GDP to at least 10 per cent.

Giving a word of encouragement, Vice Chairperson of TOTUMA Farmers Association, Mr Paulos Nkoni encouraged all to be active in farming.

He commended the extension officers for their efforts in assisting farmers and encouraged men to be involved in farming citing that women were active and participating in large numbers.

Mr Nkoni said  in the near future farmers would be engaged to feed primary schools with their farm produce and those who were not ploughing would feel government had left them out.

He encouraged farmers to engage in row planting and fertilise their soils in order to get a bumper harvest. Giving a vote of thanks, councilor for Mapoka/Nlapkhwane/Masukwane Mr Nabulani Lenyatso said farmers could change the country and be champions of food security.

He noted that they were planning to have a food processing plant in their area which was budgeted for at P1.3 million for the first phase of the processing centre. 

He stated that sampling of food product wold also be done at the centre. ENDS