Botswana horticulture is over-dependant on government
The 23rd biannual conference in Botswana's horticultural sector was held in Gaborone recently under the theme, "Horticulture for Health for All By 2016". Speaking at the conference, the coordinator of the National Master Plan for the Arable Agriculture and Dairy Development (NAMPAADD) Fred Modise, said that over-involvement of the government in the running of the Botswana Horticultural Council (BHC) is delaying the growth of the horticulture sub-sector.
As a business, said Modise, the horticultural sector and its association need to embark on a process of transformation because "if government continues to run it, it will never reach its full potential". Currently, he added, the bulk of local demand for vegetables is still imported from neighbouring South Africa. The target is to have local produce satisfy 65 percent of the national demand by 2016.
BHC chairperson, Michael Diteko commented further that the horticulture sub-sector has not grown significantly in the last five years. In 2005, the local market produced 50 percent of the national demand, "however, between 2006 and to date, the figure has not changed. There is a need for self-introspection," Diteko said.
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