EU injects P130 million into Botswana Green Value Chain
26 May 2026
The European Union (EU) has funded Botswana’s Green Value Chain Development for Job Creation programme with approximately P130 million (€8 million). The fund is aimed at accelerating economic diversification, creating sustainable jobs and strengthening the country’s competitiveness through green industries.
Speaking at the fund launch in Gaborone on Monday, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Trade and Entrepreneurship, Mr Joel Ramaphoi said the launch’s theme: Transforming the economy, driving sustainable growth and creating new jobs for Batswana, marked the beginning of a broader journey toward building a sustainable, resilient and inclusive economy for Botswana and the wider region.
Mr Ramaphoi said the initiative was part of the EU Global Gateway Strategy, representing a major step toward building a more resilient, inclusive and export-oriented economy.
Mr Ramaphoi said the four-year initiative, which was also implemented in partnership with the International Trade Centre (ITC), as the implementing partner, was expected to support enterprise development, green industrialisation and employment creation.
It will be focusing primarily on ecotourism and horticulture as strategic sectors capable of driving a sustainable economic growth.
He said the initiative will place particular emphasis on women and youth-led enterprises, rural communities and small-scale farmers.
Additionally, he said the programme was also aligned directly with Botswana’s key strategic plans, including; Vision 2036, the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme (BETP), the 12th National Development Plan and broader government efforts aimed at promoting inclusive growth, structural transformation and economic resilience.
“Our ambition remains to transition Botswana from a predominantly resource-driven economy to one that is diversified, export-oriented, innovation-led and capable of creating sustainable opportunities for our people,” he said.
Mr Ramaphoi said ecotourism presented significant opportunities for the country to leverage its globally recognised natural heritage and strong conservation credentials to create sustainable livelihoods and expand community participation in economic activity.
On horticulture, Mr Ramaphoi said the programme would support efforts to improve food security, reduce dependence on imports, promote agro-processing and expand access to domestic, regional and international markets.
He said the two sectors held immense potential to unlock opportunities for young people, women and entrepreneurs across value chains, whilst contributing directly to the country’s economic transformation agenda.
Furthermore, he noted that the programme would also work toward strengthening ecosystem support structures for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) by improving access to market intelligence, standards support, financing opportunities and institutional coordination.
On policy and regulatory strengthening, he said the programme would support efforts to improve standards compliance, remove bottlenecks and strengthen sustainability through technical assistance and stakeholder engagement.
To improve competitiveness and facilitate greater market access, Mr Ramaphoi said there was also a need to align the country’s systems and regulatory environment with evolving international market requirements.
He said the programme was expected to contribute toward climate resilience, while supporting Botswana’s transition toward greener and more sustainable economic models.
Additionally, Mr Ramaphoi stressed that the success of the initiative would depend heavily on strong collaboration among government, development partners, the private sector and other stakeholders.
EU Ambassador to Botswana and to the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Ms Petra Pereyra said the programme was a symbol and a concrete manifestation of the EU’s strong and enduring partnership with Botswana.
“The European union remains a reliable and predictable partner of Botswana. Our approach is grounded in international law, cooperation and mutual respect,” she said.
Ambassador Pereyra emphasised that the programme put people first, especially women and youth who often faced barriers to opportunities.
Through training, mentorship and dedicated support, she said SMEs would be helped to grow so that they could hire more people, pay better wages and compete on the international market access opportunities created by the EU- SADC Economic Partnership Agreements and the African Continental Free Trade Area. ENDS
Source : BOPA
Author : Lorato Gaofise
Location : GABORONE
Event : fund launch
Date : 26 May 2026
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