31 Mar 2026

President Advocate Duma Boko has outlined a transformative roadmap for the agricultural sector to move away from subsidy-driven dependency toward an enterprise-driven model aimed at high-growth exports and economic diversification. 

Debating the draft national agriculture policy in Parliament on Monday, President Boko said the agricultural sector was prioritised under the twelfth National Development Plan (NDP 12) and the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme (BETP) due to the sector’s strong backward and forward linkages with the rest of the economy and its potential to create jobs, sustain livelihoods and contribute to GDP growth. 

The President indicated that under NDP 12, government was committed to transforming agriculture into a diversified, resilient and export-oriented sector that achieved food security, reduces imports and drove economic growth and the vision was anchored in livestock production and processing, agricultural production and processing as well as land resource management.

 “Some of the proposed programmes expected to transform the sector over the medium term include promoting the use of agricultural technology to enhance productivity through precision farming, smart water management systems and soil enhancement technologies,” he said.

 The President, however, acknowledged structural constraints in the sector, hence highlighted the need to invest in infrastructure development at production sites.  “This includes prioritising access roads and electricity to production centers to effectively transform the industry,” he said. He noted that creating an enabling environment for higher agricultural output would promote food security and self-sufficiency, adding that government should be commended for its efforts in transforming the sector.

 He cited the proposed 186-kilometre road network, which included Talana Farms and parts of the Bobirwa constituency, as testament to government’s commitment to creating an environment where agriculture can prosper. Furthermore, President Boko commended the previous administration for its role in the sector, though he noted that outputs were low relative to the level of investment. 

“Credit to the past regime for investing heavily in the sector, though it is clear that the yield per hectare was low despite the investment, primarily due to a lack of programme monitoring and evaluation,” he said. 

He also applauded the previous administration for its devotion to the sector through the presidential bull and buck donations.  Again, President Boko emphasised the importance of resuscitating co-operatives and suggested establishing a model to ensure such enterprises acted as growth points for agro-business, which would enhance economic activity and add value to primary goods produced by the farming community.

 He also expressed a desire to better utilise land for agricultural purposes, noting that it was disappointing to see so much designated agricultural land remain underutilised. Regarding the Middle East smallstock export market, President Boko admitted that the primary challenge was meeting market demand. 

“The demand is significantly larger than the supply, the Middle East market requires 500 000 smallstock for slaughter per month.  This is currently beyond the country’s capability and could only be attained through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) deal,” he said. ENDS