31 Aug 2026

Assistant Minister of Trade and Entrepreneurship, Mr Baratiwa Mathoothe, has described cooperatives as tools for creating sustainable businesses, generating employment and reducing poverty.

Speaking at a special general meeting of the Serowe Marketing Cooperative Society Ltd in Serowe recently, Mr Mathoothe said cooperatives played a vital role in empowering individuals, especially in rural areas, by providing them with opportunities to pool resources.

“Cooperatives can enhance food security, generate employment and foster community development. They are supposed to assist government in creating employment and eradicating poverty in villages,” he said.

Mr Mathoothe explained that cooperatives allowed members to combine their resources, knowledge and finances to work jointly, instead of operating individually. He urged young people to form cooperatives to help tackle high unemployment.

The minister noted that cooperatives were expanding beyond traditional agriculture and retail into tourism, manufacturing, renewable energy and digital technology. He said agricultural and marketing cooperatives that combine livestock and produce could lower operational costs and help members access bigger markets.

Despite their potential, Mr Mathoothe acknowledged that cooperatives had not yet fully managed to create employment opportunities and provide social protection for members.

He called for renewed commitment from communities to strengthen cooperative structures so they could deliver on their mandate. ENDS