When it comes to enhancing food security, the last decade has really been nothing but a wasted opportunity.
The enthusiasm that had been created at the beginning of that decade has turned out to be nothing more than false dawn.
At the end of that decade, the agricultural sector, a crucial and integral sector for food security has regressed.
There has not been much discernible take-up of new technologies or new techniques in both livestock and crop production.
There is ample evidence that bad loans in the sector, especially with the state owned NDB [National Development Bank] have reached acidic levels.
That by itself is enough proof that the Agricultural sector is in trouble.
Botswana Meat Commission, another big player in the sector is on its deathbed.
Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board, yet another state owned enterprise that buys produce especially grain, is struggling to stay afloat ÔÇô a result of bad management and ill-advised business models.
Economists are by their nature averse to putting emphasis on political considerations when making economic calculations.
But for Government to allow BMC to die smacks of political irresponsibility.
BMC is by far the only state owned parastatal in which ordinary Batswana in their largest numbers have a vested interest.
Thus for any politician to allow BMC do die under their watch is akin to a midwife who participates in strangling a baby they are expected to deliver.
In the main one cannot see how Botswana can achieve food security when BMC is literally dead and has not been replaced.
The fact of the matter is that for an average Motswana, agriculture matters and will do so for generations to come.
But for the sector to be revived there is going to be a need for massive investments of infrastructure in the farms.
Such wholesale investments will naturally have to be aimed at modernisation of the sector.
This modernization should be aimed at both manpower and techniques.
It is not an exaggeration to say that today’s average farmer in Botswana is too old.
Like all the economic sectors, agriculture needs to be representative of the country’s demographics.
Botswana is a young country.
Reforming Botswana’s Agricultural sector will in the end be transformative, not just for the country’s hard statistical and economic indicators but more importantly for society in general given the number of people still tied to the sector ÔÇô directly and indirectly.
If the sector grows impressively, there is no way it could leave the country’s economic growth behind without lifting such growth with itself.
This infrastructure investment in this sector will include electricity, telecommunications and most crucially roads.
Farming in Botswana is expensive because of expenses associated with connecting the farms and the market.
Such infrastructure will reduce cost to farmers and make farming more viable hence attractive especially to the much needed young people.
The improvement in efficiencies will transform in profits for farmers, but most importantly in food security to the nation.
As it is, the sector’s low yields is a drag on the country’s economy.
These investments will not be enough if not accompanied by structural reforms.
Demands will have to be put on farmers that in return for such investments they produce quality.
Their prices will have to be competitive so as to beat their counterparts from across our borders.
And that is not all.
Consumers and retailers alike would be urged to give preference to local suppliers for as long as such farmers have reliable supply chains and also at required quantities and quality.
