26 Aug 2026

Okavango horticultural farmers have expressed concern over limited market opportunities for their produce.

In an interview, Okavango Horticulture Farmers Association chairperson, Mr Benny Morundu said horticulture farmers in the district faced shortage of markets despite high grade produce. Mr Morundu therefore said their wish was to have access to local markets and even compete globally.

He therefore hailed the recent Okavango Farmers Market Day and Crop exhibition which was organised by the association in collaboration with the Department of Crops Production in Okavango. He said it was a way to provide a chance for farmers to showcase their produce and increase marketability hence lived to expectation although it was not enough to fill the gap.  

Mr Morundu however said farmers were able to exhibit their quality range of vegetables and crops. “The main intention was to give farmers platform to sell their produce since the district has a challenge of limited markets for horticulture farmers, and for farmers to network with stakeholders,” he said.

Mr Morundu said the association currently prided itself with over 60 members of horticulture farmers out of a total of about 140 farmers in the district.

He said despite association members having experience and passion for growing a variety of vegetables they were however limited by market availability which currently constrained farmers to plant certain species only.

“The current market status determines what farmers ought to produce hence most farmers produce rape because they can sell it directly to individuals and hawkers not only middleman, while it is a challenge for high value crops production such as tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and butternuts with limited market”, he said.

Mr Morundu said the farmers market day and crop exhibition was a step in the right direction since the Minister of Lands and Agriculture Dr Edwin Dikoloti graced the event and had a chance to dialogue with farmers, appreciated their challenges with lack of markets as the main concern.

He said the minister assured farmers of government’s commitment to provide a thriving environment for agriculture.

Further, Mr Morundi reaffirmed that Okavango farmers were alive to the ministry’s stance to transform Botswana into a diversified, resilient agriculture sector to attain food security and reduce imports as well as drive economic growth.

He observed that Okavango horticulture farmers were allocated a total of 349 hectares of land of which 260 hectares were in use.

He said the horticultural farmers wanted  government to provide them with land in Shakawe for a large-scale farming, with the aim of achieving success similar to that of farmers in Pandamatenga and Mosesedi.

The Okavango District, he said had abundance water, tropical climate and good soils which gave farmers an added advantage to produce and contribute immensely to the country’s economy. BOPA