03 Nov 2026

Assistant Minister of Trade and Entrepreneurship, Mr Baratiwa Mathoothe, has called on the cooperative movement to play a central role in creating opportunities for young people to diversify the economy.

Speaking at the second edition of the Regional Cooperative Seminar held Saturday in Jwaneng under the theme: Cooperatives for Peaceful Communities – A Stepping Stone for Future Generations, Mr Mathoothe said cooperatives remained pillars of peace and inclusive development.

“Peace is not built at negotiation tables alone; it begins when people unite around a common purpose, work together towards shared goals, and make collective sacrifices for the benefit of all,” he said. Mr Mathoothe stressed that cooperatives were key drivers of economic diversification, youth employment and sustainable development. He noted that overdependence on diamonds, beef and tourism left the country vulnerable to external shocks, and called for deliberate efforts to broaden the productive base. “Diversification is no longer an option to be postponed; it is an urgent national priority,” Mr Mathoothe told delegates and challenged cooperatives to move beyond conventional activities and invest in viable enterprises across agriculture, manufacturing, agro-processing, tourism, renewable energy, technology and other emerging sectors. He also highlighted the importance of the Presidential Youth Empowerment Campaign (PYEC), saying the cooperative sector must position itself as an active partner in creating pathways for young people in skills development, entrepreneurship and sustainable economic participation. Addressing young people present at the seminar, Mr Mathoothe said, “You have chosen to be part of a transformative movement. I challenge you to become ambassadors by encouraging your peers to embrace cooperatives, not as a relic of the past, but as a modern, innovative and technology-driven business model.”

He further urged umbrella organisations, the Botswana Cooperative Association, Botswana Savings and Credit Cooperative Association and Botswana Agricultural Marketing Cooperative Union (BAMCU), to strengthen collaboration, mobilise members and champion innovative enterprises that created jobs and prosperity.

He expressed encouragement at the growing collaboration between the Department for Co-operative Development, the Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency and the Local Enterprise Authority, saying such partnerships help connected cooperatives to financing, business advisory services and market opportunities. Speaking on the sidelines of the main plenary, Kanye Region Cooperative Business Forum chairperson, Mr Koobakie Modukwane, said the day’s event marked the second instalment of the seminar, following the first held last year. Mr Modukwane said that upon assuming the chairmanship, they realised members of co-operatives needed deeper knowledge and insights into what the sector stood for. Management therefore, made a deliberate effort to leverage the fifth co-operative principle – education, training and information – which made the seminar possible.

He noted that the majority of challenges faced by cooperatives revolved around maladministration and fraud. Beyond this, he said the Kanye Region was vast, and in many cases cooperative workers lacked the capacity to attend council sessions, to gain a fuller understanding of issues affecting their sector. Recognising that many young people lagged behind in understanding what cooperatives stood for and how they should be run, the forum introduced primary school quizzes, debates and beauty contests as another way of taking the co-operative message to the youth through dialogue and social gatherings.Mr Modukwana said that last year alone, these platforms resulted in well-performing schools being invited to the National Cooperatives Day, helping to spread information about cooperatives. ENDS