Africa-Press – Botswana. In order to build capacity for opportunities that come with the envisioned hemp industry in Botswana, the Institute of Energy and Technology Development (IETD) has organised a conference billed for August, to share knowledge with cooperatives and other stakeholders.
Addressing the media in Gaborone on Thursday, IETD director, Ms Charity Kennedy said theirs was to upskill the community on the said development.
Ms Kennedy said innovation often failed to flourish where access to information and education was limited especially, in emerging markets.
She said with widespread awareness, citizens across rural and urban Botswana particularly woman and youth, could be empowered not just to participate but to innovate as well.
Ms Kennedy viewed hemp and cannabis industry as an opportunity to democratise knowledge, create decent jobs and build value chains that served the future of all Batswana and therefore, wished to facilitate multi-sectoral dialogue between policy makers, researchers, investors, entrepreneurs, civil society organisations and the community.
She said the conference would showcase research, education and international best practices from Africa and beyond as well as stimulate investment, entrepreneurship and industrialisation around hemp based technologies, and drive national conversation around regulatory and economic transformation.
“The government should not be the only one pushing the issue of legislation and policy.
We need to be players,” she said and explained that the conference was the beginning of job creation revolution since hemp presented an opportunity to create dignified sustainable employment, particularly in industries such as engineering, agriculture, construction, manufacturing, mining rehabilitation, pharmaceuticals and climate smart innovations.
It is our duty to ensure that the opportunities are inclusive, equitable and accessible to all Batswana Ms Kennedy said.
One of the partner organisations, BW Jobs 4 Graduates representative, Mr Christopher Seagateng said 28.7 per cent of youth were unemployed or underemployed as of 2024.
Mr Seagateng said that they were training youth for the job market and matched them with potential employers, noting that there were many opportunities that could emerge from the hemp industry.
IETD is working in partnership with BW Jobs 4 Graduates, BOLESWA Youth Cooperatives, Botswana Cooperatives and Africa Lora Travel, to facilitate the August conference where a South African organisation, Cheeba Africa is expected to share technical insight.
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