Africa-Press – Botswana. Serowe District mini show demonstrates government’s commitment to improvement and advancement of small scale entrepreneurs.
The sales and service coordinator at the First National Bank Botswana (FNBB) Serowe branch, Ms Veronica Lesiapeto, said this at the show themed: Culture Preservation, Innovation and Creativity in Mogorosi recently.
Ms Lesiapeto said development of small scale businesses would help address unemployment challenges as well as add to economic diversification in line with Vision 2036 pillar of sustainable economic development.
She said government was interested in empowering communities both socially and economically to ensure sustainable livelihoods.
Ms Lesiapeto explained that events such as agriculture shows enabled people to network, share skills and experiences to improve workmanship and quality production.
She said indigenous production skills were key to eradicating poverty, adding such skills must be passed to the coming generations.
The guest speaker added that this would enhance sustainable livelihoods and job creation as well as build resilient individuals, families and communities.
She said the market was ready to consume Botswana products, so small businesses must make it a point to perfect their production techniques and survey the market to produce relevant products.
Ms Lesiapeto requested those who used locally available resources for income generation do so with due diligence and sole purpose of preserving these valuable asserts for sustainable use and work with organizations which are mandated to capacitate on natural resources preservation.
She added that government had put in place various economic empowerment programmes, explaining that it was upon the beneficiaries to ensure success.
‘’I wish to therefore to take this opportunity to use the knowledge you have acquire and encourage you to be innovative and proactive in your approach to business in your endeavor to eradicate poverty. We have with us financial institutions and business promotion entities, as FNBB, we are intentional about supporting small medium enterprises and have products and services which are tailor made for SMMES because we know and understand that your needs are different. I therefore encourage you to take this opportunity to come us so we can see how best we can help you to start, run and grow your business,’’ said Ms Lesiapeto.
For his part, Mr Gabriel Mpofu highlighted that the day was meant to accord businesses and creatives an opportunity to showcase talents. He said the other objective was to showcase knowledge and business ideas.
They also intended to increase market and improve buying and selling and allow for competition among business and creatives.
Councillor Malau Gabaipone of Sehunou Motshegaletau encouraged small enterprise owners to come up with societies in order to get funding from financial institutions and combine their skills set. He said this also helps in forming formidable businesses.
He encouraged the residents to form associations like the existing ones such as western sandveld farmers associations so that their ideas could be routed into one place.
For More News And Analysis About Botswana Follow Africa-Press
