Africa-Press – Botswana. The entrepreneurship ministry through Local Enterprise Authority has been assigned to commercialise rural development projects as well as to build capacity within trusts and communities to embrace business management principles.
This was disclosed by Acting President Slumber Tsogwane when addressing the 161st Rural Development Council (RDC) meeting in Gaborone yesterday.
Mr Tsogwane, who is RDC chairperson, explained that the move was prompted by challenges of sustainability bedevilling the projects due to poor governance and accountability.
The projects, he stated, were critical to livelihoods improvement and had great potential.
The acting president said to complement ministries’ efforts, a total of P6.3 million had been allocated for RDC projects in the coming financial year.
Mr Tsogwane said projects targeted for funding included expansion of Zutshwa salt mine, resuscitation of morula processing plant covering Kweneng District villages of Loologane, Boatlaname, Shadishadi, Sojwe, Lephepe and another in Tsamaya, North East District.
He said also earmarked for funding was the resource mapping of morula in Tswapong, North East District and Nata-Gweta areas.
“As RDC, we must remember that the decision to resuscitate Lobu small stock farm in Kgalagadi is meant to turn the district into Botswana small stock centre of excellence and hub,” he said.
Mr Tsogwane said government would continue to invest and improve the farm to become a centre of excellence.
The acting president also talked about other small stock hubs of Setata and Impala and recommended that RDC take them on board as they were an important component of rural development.
Equally important was the development of livestock farms allocated to some remote area dwellers settlements, he said adding that some P7 million was disbursed to resuscitate the projects.
Detailing the benefits of small stock production, Mr Tsogwane said it contributed to household security, provided farmers with meat and milk as well as income.
He pointed out that small stock was often reared by women thereby leading to greater economic empowerment of families along the lines of health, education and nutritional status of children.
Additionally, Mr Tsogwane said small stock had great adaptation potential.
On another issue, the acting president announced that the Botswana Vulnerability Assessment Committee would undertake a drought and household food security assessment April 12-May 5.
The findings would be presented to the RDC meeting in June, he said.
The meeting heard that Botswana was currently implementing drought relief measures introduced during the last financial year including an arable agriculture insurance scheme, livestock feeder subsidy, supplementary feeding and provision of special food baskets for malnourished under fives in hot spots.
Mr Tsogwane said the relief measures would be coming to an end on June 30.
Stating that yesterday’s meeting was to consider an early warning systems report on the current drought and food security situation, Mr Tsogwane said it was crucial for providing insight into availability, quality and accessibility as well as vulnerabilities.
He said raising awareness among affected communities was key for risk reduction.
Turning to the role of RDC, Mr Tsogwane said through it government was implementing an element of social justice where people in rural areas were being included in the development agenda.
He said the RDC process was critical to a government that wanted to advance inclusivity and reduce inequalities between the poor and rich.
“The three primary goals of RDC policy were to reduce poverty, provide opportunities for employment, income generation and involvement in economic activities and to enhance popular participation in development planning and implementation processes as a basis for broad based, balanced sustainable development,” he said.
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