Africa-Press – Botswana. Horticulture farmers have been encouraged to explore value chain addition in the agriculture sector.
The call was made by Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (BUAN) director for Centre for In-service and Continuing Education Dr Chandapiwa Butale in an interview during a week-long training for Okavango Horticulture Farmers Association (OKHOFA) and Chobe East Marketing Management Association (CEMAMA) members in Shakawe recently.
Dr Butale observed that the training, worth P200 000 course fee was made possible by the Botswana Horticulture Council (BOHOC), in collaboration with the Turkish Embassy which donated farm implements to the two associations. The course mainly concentrated on climate smart farming.
She said it was imperative for farmers to consider food processing which was more rewarding and made one have control over the market. Food processing, she said helped increase shelf life of products hence improved market opportunities locally and internationally.
Dr Butale observed that agriculture had a wider value chain saying famers could specialise in areas such as seedlings, making products such as atchar, jam and tomato puree and selling some farm necessities.
Farmers, she said should learn to convert some of their challenges into business opportunities and seek government programmes and other institutions for funding.
Meanwhile, Dr Butale said the training offered covered areas such as soil and water management, pests and pesticides management, climate resilient horticulture farming and post-harvest management of horticulture.
The training donation, Dr Butale said was part of BUAN’s commitment, as the only University that specialised in agriculture in the country, to ensure the country attained food security.
She said about 52 horticulture farmers were trained hence expected to experience growth in their commercial farming.
For More News And Analysis About Botswana Follow Africa-Press
