30 Mar 2026

Vice President and Minister of Finance, Mr Ndaba Gaolathe, has told Parliament that plans are underway to double agriculture’s contribution to the economy for the sector to constitute six per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2028.

 Addressing Parliament recently, Minister Gaolathe said the transformation was a cornerstone of the twelfth National Development Plan (NDP 12) and the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme (BETP).

 “The goal is to move the small livestock subsector away from subsistence farming and toward a high-growth and export-driven industry that creates jobs for women and youth,” the minister said. 

To facilitate the transformation, Minister Gaolathe presented the Botswana Livestock Commercialisation Project (BoLCoP) (Loan Authorisation) Bill, 2026 which he said focused on building climate resilience and securing national food systems through technologically-driven value chains. 

The minister added that the Bill also sought parliamentary approval to raise a loan of US$ 31.52 million (about P384 million) from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) at an interest rate of 5.4 per cent.

 He added that the loan would be augmented by US$ 26.75 million (about P325.9 million) in grants, which would include the Adaptation Fund at US$ 20 million (about P243.7 million), Global Environment Facility at US$ 5 million (about P60.9 million) as well as the South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC)at US$ 1.75 million (about P21.3 million) Meanwhile, the Bill proceeded under a certificate of urgency because the loan had not yet matured, following its publication on 20 March, 2026. 

Minister Gaolathe noted that government, through the Ministry of Lands and Agriculture, had worked closely with IFAD to ensure that the project provided rural households with the resources needed to transition into commercially viable and market-oriented undertakings. ENDS