Africa-Press – Botswana. Parliament has adopted a motion that seeks government to consider declaring Leshibitse in Kgatleng, a horticultural economic area.
Supporting the motion, tabled by Kgatleng West MP, Dr Unity Dow on Friday, Francistown East MP and Minister of Trade and Entrepreneurship, Mr Tiroeaone Ntsima said the motion was important and came at an opportune time when the country desperately needed to diversify its economy away from a single commodity of diamonds. Horticultural production, he said, had a great potential to promote competitiveness, economic growth, export promotion and job creation.
Good Hope/Mmathethe MP and acting Minister of Lands and Agriculture, Dr Edwin Dikoloti thanked the mover of the motion, saying she had elaborated all its good intentions in the presentation of promoting economic diversification and food security in the country.
Dr Dikoloti assured Dr Dow that government would lay down all the necessary requirements to ensure successful achievement of the motions key objective. Agriculture, he said, was a critical sector in every country’s economic growth, as it contributed positively to improving livelihoods in rural areas, through food production and job creation, thereby helping curb the increase in rural-urban migration.
The motion was unanimously supported by all MPs, sharing the same sentiments that it would positively contribute toward food sufficiency, job creation, reduction of the import bill and economic diversification. Once government has mastered the concept, the legislators agreed that the initiative be replicated in other potential areas for horticulture, focusing on the types of crops that flourish well in such specific areas.
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