Africa-Press – Botswana. The government is running round the clock working on programmes that will ensure food security on a sustainable basis.
Answering a question in Parliament on Monday, acting Minister of Lands and Agriculture, Dr Edwin Dikoloti said as part of universally dealing with the food security agenda, Botswana signed the 2025 Kampala Declaration on building resilient and sustainable agri-food systems in Africa.
He said the Kampala Declaration was a 10-year African Union (AU) Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP), adding that the programme in which Botswana was participating, looked at the whole value chain; from production (farming) to consumption.
In line with the above, he said the ministry was reviewing a variety of programmes of schemes intended to enhance food and nutrition security.
He said the ongoing development of the Agricultural Policy (2025-2035), which was planned to be brought to Parliament this winter season sought to address the related issues.
“As part of implementation, it is proposed that African Government or AU member states should allocate, at least, 10 percent of their national budgets to agriculture with the intention of achieving resilient food systems and agricultural activity, including employment, which can result in at least six percent GDP growth,” said Dr Dikoloti.
Dr Dikoloti emphasised that there existed a plan to improve, adding that his expectation was that when the policy does come to Parliament, together with the budget, it would receive the necessary support.
He said in 2021, the Artificial Insemination (AI) programme was reviewed, to focus on leveraging on the adoption and use of other Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ARTs) such as introduction of Multiple Ovulation and Embryo Transfer (MOET) and small stock AI.
The revised AI programme, he explained, was aimed at transforming the Ramatlabama National Artificial Insemination Laboratory (NAIL) and Training Centre into a centre of excellence and the export facility for germplasm.
He said that the small stock AI and Embryo Transfer laboratory has been completed.
Furthermore, Dr Dikoloti said the Livestock Management and Infrastructure Development (LIMID) was reviewed in 2023 and paved way for the Thuo Letlotlo programme, which was launched in May 2024.
“The Thuo Letlotlo is under review to align it to the National Transformation Agenda that emphasises economic inclusivity, job creation, value addition and an export-led economy. The review is ongoing and expected to be completed on the July 31,” Dr Dikoloti said.
Additionally, Dr Dikoloti stated that government was designing a programme to commercialise the small livestock sub-sector.
He said the project was a 10-year holistic project designed to tap into the skills set of the renowned International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) experts and with extensive consultation with all stakeholders.
Dr Dikoloti said the programme was designed with the people for the people to ensure ownership and success.
He described the project as a blended finance model; climate financing, loan and government budget.
It was intended, he continued, to address all challenges in the goats, sheep and poultry value chains.
He said these would cover water development for production, rangeland management, production and productivity, animal health and market access and the production environment; policy and legislation.
“This is targeted to improve competitiveness of the products for food and nutrition security and value addition. The project is targeted for implementation by January 2026,” concluded Dr Dikoloti.
He was answering a question from Bobirwa MP, Mr Taolo Lucas, who had asked the minister whether there were any new agricultural programmes and schemes that had been introduced to improve or replace those that existed in the previous years.
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