11 Aug 2026

The Green Climate Fund project is strategically aligned with the National Development Plan (NDP) 12 and the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme (BETP), positioned as a cornerstone in stimulating the agricultural sector.

Answering a question in Parliament on Friday, the Minister of Land and Agriculture Dr Edwin Dikoloti said the project complemented government’s policy goals, aiming at building livestock production and productivity including building cattle numbers. 

He also said the project contributed to the national objectives of enhancing climate resilience within the livestock sector, to raising agriculture’s contribution to national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from the current two percent to six percent within five years

Dr Dikoloti also said it would strengthen the competitiveness of the beef industry through rangeland restoration and value chain development.

He said the project further aimed to promote investment in livestock and other value chains by turning degraded land into a productive, high return asset class, also improving forage quality and water availability, which lowered production costs, boosted livestock yields and attracted private capital through eco-labelling, premium certifications and climate-smart financial products. 

Minister Dikoloti said the project’s primary goal was to strengthen the adaptive capacity of Botswana’s people, institutions and rangeland ecosystems to respond to the impacts of climate change long after project funding had ended. 

He said these would be achieved through measures such as strengthening local institutions such as Farmer Facilitation Teams, Village Grazing Committees, Farmers’ Committees and government extension services at district level; institutionalising sustainable rangeland management, capacity development with training provided to farmers, community and leaders. 

Dr Dikoloti said environmental and social sustainability with inclusive governance, gender equality, youth participation and effective grievance mechanisms were measures to strengthen the primary goal of the project. 

He was responding to a question from MP for Shoshong, Mr Moneedi Bagaisamang who had asked the minister how the Green Climate Fund Project was linked with BETP and NDP 12. 

Mr Bagaisamang also asked how the project would contribute to an increase of the national herd and support investment in the livestock industry as well as other value chains and what sustainability measures were in place beyond the life of this project. ENDS